Publications

 

 

Introduction

Leopold Gottlieb (born 3 June 1879 in Drohobycz – died 24 April 1934 in Paris) and Mela Muter (born 26 April 1876 in Warsaw – died 14 May 1967 in Paris) rank among the most distinguished artists of interwar Europe. Although rooted in the realities of the first half of the twentieth century, their work remains strikingly relevant today. Both artists were associated with the international École de Paris (School of Paris), whose members also included Moïse Kisling, Louis Marcoussis, Amedeo Modigliani, Elie Nadelman, Chaim Soutine and Eugeniusz Zak.

 

The term École de Paris was first used by the French critic André Warnod in 1925 in the literary and artistic journal Comœdia to describe a group of émigré artists, primarily of Jewish origin, working in Paris. The School of Paris was neither a formal association nor a distinct artistic movement. Rather, it was a loosely connected community of artists who arrived in Paris between 1900 and the outbreak of the Second World War. They were united by the creative atmosphere of the French capital, openness to new ideas, an interest in figurative art, and a sense of operating at the crossroads of different cultures.

 

The art of Gottlieb and Muter emerged from the experience of the profound social and political transformations of their era, as well as from personal events that left a lasting mark on their work. Both artists were influenced by socialist ideas. Muter was romantically involved with Raymond Lefebvre, a French pacifist and left-wing writer. Among her works are illustrations created for socialist publications, including Clarté. Following his experiences during the First World War, Gottlieb increasingly turned to themes rooted in personal reflection. His work began to focus more often on the human condition, an individual's place in society, working conditions, and social exclusion.

 

For an artist to whom neither national borders nor cultural divisions existed, and who refused to be constrained by stylistic or social boundaries, Gottlieb’s art was built upon the foundations of Polish Modernism and international Symbolism. In the 1920s, it evolved toward a more refined visual language. His avant-garde works from this period reveal the essence of human existence through melancholic atmospheres surrounding delicately rendered figures, rhythmic compositions, and a subtle palette limited largely to shades of pink, blue, and brown.

 

Mela Muter—described in 1927 by Wiadomości Literackie as one of the “outstanding artistic personalities of the contemporary age”—developed a style based on synthetic form, sharp line, and intense expression. Rather than merely capturing a sitter’s physical appearance, she sought to reveal hidden psychological tensions with extraordinary insight. During the 1920s, she gained particular recognition as a portraitist of prominent figures of her time, including musicians, politicians, writers, and Nobel Prize laureates. Her ability to uncover a deeper truth about her subjects led critics to label her a “psychological portraitist,” a term she neither liked nor accepted. Instead, she emphasized another aspect of her practice: she portrayed only those who were willing to collaborate sincerely with her “through their intellectual and spiritual substance.”

 

Alongside celebrated personalities, Muter also depicted individuals from the margins of society: people with disabilities, members of ethnic minorities, laborers worn down by work, and others excluded from mainstream life. It is no coincidence that critics wrote that her works were “once again devoted to human life—struggling against hunger, thirst, and exploitation” (E. Woroniecki, La Pologne politique, économique, littéraire et artistique, 1926), emphasizing their profoundly humanistic character. Her paintings portray marginalized individuals, people burdened by suffering and hardship. Yet, as Edward Woroniecki further observed, there is no “gloom or despair” in these images, even when signs of exhaustion and overwhelming labour are clearly visible.

 

One should also remember the close and enduring friendship that united these two artists for many years. One critic even wrote that “Mrs. Muttermilch [Muter] remains under the influence of her master Gottlieb” (Rydwan, 1914). This influence, however, did not imply dependence but rather a creative dialogue—a meeting of two artistic personalities who shared a similar vision of humanity, its role, and its place in the world.

 

On the occasion of the 150th anniversary of Mela Muter’s birth, the Art & Modern Foundation, through the exhibition Reflected in Art: Social Issues in the Work of Leopold Gottlieb and Mela Muter, presented from April to mid-August 2026, and through this accompanying catalogue, seeks to draw attention to the theme of social exclusion in the work of these artists. Gottlieb and Muter belonged to a small group of creators who addressed marginalization in their time, depicting people living in poverty, labouring beyond their strength, rejected by society, or simply perceived as “different.” Today, their work can be read as an important contribution to discussions about contemporary social issues and the pursuit of greater inclusivity.

 

We hope that this publication will serve not only as a complement to the exhibition but also as an invitation to reflect on the challenges of the modern world and to further explore the work of Gottlieb and Muter. Their paintings remind us that art—even when rooted in the past—can still offer valuable lessons for contemporary audiences.