Willy Eisenschitz

_{Vienna 1889 - 1974 Paris}

Willy Eisenschitz was born in Vienna in 1889. Against his father’s wishes Willy Eisenschitz studied at the Viennese Academy, beginning in 1911. A year later, he moved to Paris, the center of modern painting. There, he resumed his studies at the famous Académie de la Grande Chaumière, where he also met his future wife, painter Claire Bertrand. The young artist was particularly fascinated by the French impressionists as well as the colorful paintings of Gauguin, Cézanne and the Fauves. He bore this enthusiasm all his life.
After the war, Eisenschitz explored the landscapes of Italy and France, the latter being a groundbreaking epiphany for his creative career. During this time, Willy Eisenschitz became a member of the renowned Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts. In 1930, he became a corresponding member of the artist’s society Hagenbund.
In 1935, he acquired the French citizenship. When World War II broke out, he moved to the more secure city of Dieulefit in the South of France. After the death of his wife in 1969, Eisenschitz went back to Paris, where he worked until his passing in 1974.