Page 10 - Centrum Dialogu im. Marka Edelmana w Łodzi. Artur Szyk, Man of Dialogue.

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Thus – even though he had lived a life among the
BIOGRAPHY
Parisian bohemians – instead following other artists
of this period, he decided to focus on the arduous
creation of miniatures. It turned out that this
particular discipline of art brought him worldwide
acclaim and fame.
He explained his choice:
"Easel painting usually gives only a slight
fragment of reality. Only a fresco or a miniature can
artistically develop great ideas in a cycle. I chose
miniature (enluminure) because it is superior to
black and white graphics with its colourfulness,
combining artistic calligraphy of the text and the
miniature itself into one coherent whole. Besides,
the old technique of color reproduction achieves
such extraordinary results that it is difficult to
explicitly distinguish it from the original. This
expands the range of tasks and social service of
miniature." A. Szyk
However, before he completely dedicated himself
to his art, he had served in the Russian army.
At the moment of the outbreak of World War
One, Artur Szyk was in Constantinople. The
Turkish authorities suspected the artist of espionage,
but he was allowed to leave. He arrived in Odessa by
ship, where he was forcibly drafted into the 128th
Kutajski Regiment of the Russian army and sent to
the western front. He participated in battles of Łódź.
During the retreat of the Russian army, he deserted
and hid in Aleksandrów, then returned to Łódź.

"At a time when the Russian army was leaving Łódź,
instead of going with my regiment, I calmly went home
and stayed there. I do not know what inspired me to
do so, but I am happy that this happened. Otherwise
I would be lying in some brotherly grave. " A. Szyk

In 1915, along with Julian Tuwim, he founded a
"Bi−Ba−Bo" cabaret in his native Łódź. He made
posters, cartoons and decorations at the famous
Savoy hotel at Krótka Street (present−day Traugutta),
described by Joseph Roth. There, he met his future
wife – Julia Likerman, who appeared in the cabaret
as an aspiring actress.
Julia Idesa Likerman (1897−1974) was the daughter
of a Łódź merchant Maurycy Moszek Likerman and
Esther Świętosławska. The Szyks were married in
Łódź, on September 25, 1916.
–
Russian Soldiers (1914–1915)