A Life of Displacement and Artistry
Born in Wrocław, Poland, Eugene Spiro was a German and American painter and lithographer. His early career saw him become a member of the Vienna Secession in 1900, followed by travels to Venice and Paris. By 1906, he was a member of the Berlin Secession and moved to Paris, where he met the graphic artist Hans Purrmann. His life was marked by significant transitions; he was appointed to the Prussian Academy of Arts in Berlin in 1911 and married Elizabeth Saenger-Sethe in 1917. During the interwar period, the couple traveled extensively through Northern Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, Morocco, and Croatia.
Due to his Jewish origins and the policies of the Nazi regime, Spiro left Germany in 1935, settling in Paris. He lived in Sanary-sur-Mer and joined the International League Against Anti-Semitism in 1938. Following the German invasion of France, he fled to Biarritz and Marseille, where he was briefly interred at the Gurs prison camp before traveling through Spain to the United States.
The American and Later Years
After arriving in New York in 1941, Spiro remarried Lilly Jacobi. His presence in the American art scene was marked by several solo exhibitions at the Galerie St. Etienne and the Salmagundi Art Club in 1943. In the 1950s, he returned to Germany and continued to travel through Denmark, Switzerland, France, and England.
His contributions were recognized later in life when he was awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in 1964. A major retrospective of his works was organized by Berlin at the Berlinische Gallerie in 1969. He passed away in New York.
Questions & Answers
Where can I see Eugene Spiro's artworks in chronological order?
Eugene Spiro's artworks can be seen in chronological order on the artist's Artwork Timeline page.
Where are Eugene Spiro's artworks grouped by keywords?
Eugene Spiro's works can be explored by keyword on the artist's By Keywords page. Each keyword groups the related artworks.
Which artworks by Eugene Spiro are the most viewed?
Statistics about Eugene Spiro's works are available on the artist's Stats page.
In which historical period did Eugene Spiro work?
Eugene Spiro worked in the Modern period. The period situates the artist's activity in history.
