Chana Orloff: Rediscovering the Legacy of a French Jewish Sculptor
by Valeria Asher, French tour guide // Jewish history in Paris
I'm excited to share a guest post by Valeria Asher, a certified French tour guide who focuses on Jewish history in Paris. She writes about the life and work of Chana Orloff, a Ukrainian-born Jew who became a sculptor. I thought you'd enjoy learning about Chana Orloff, an artist whose work is not only beautiful but also deeply connected to Jewish and French history
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Valeria's post takes us on a journey to discover Orloff's remarkable sculptures and the stories behind them. I found it truly fascinating, and I think you will too. It's a wonderful opportunity for us to enrich our understanding of art and Jewish history together.
I hope you enjoy learning about Chana Orloff as much as I did. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts in the comments.
French Jewish female artist
Who is your favorite French artist? What about your favorite French Jewish artist? And what if I asked you to name your favorite French Jewish female artist? It’s hard, isn’t it. Chana Orloff was an outstanding French Jewish female sculptor who was widely successful between World War I and World War II, and yet barely anyone knows or talks about her today.
Chana Orloff brought the reality and richness of everyday life to sculpture. Her work represents women and artists, writers and politicians who lived and worked in France and Israel.
When I saw Orloff’s sculptures, I was profoundly moved and also struck by the injustice that her work has been relegated to obscurity over time. As a tour guide specializing in Jewish history in France and Paris, I am compelled to change this oversight by introducing Chana Orloff and her remarkable collection as part of my tours. I staunchly believe that she and her art merit recognition. In this article, I’ll share a succinct overview of Chana Orloff's biography, her path to becoming an artist, and the essence of her work.
A Glimpse into La Villa Seurat
A few weeks ago, I visited Chana Orloff’s studio and met her granddaughter, Ariane. This studio is home to Chana Orloff’s collection which consists of nearly 200 sculptures made of plaster, wood, bronze, marble, stone and cement.
Added to this important collection are the artist's drawings (3000 drawings and sketches) and a set of engravings. Some of her personal collection of paintings - representing her and created by her artist friends - is also on display, evoking a strong woman anchored to her time.
The presentation of the sculptural works that follows is partial, since the selection focuses on the sculptures that best embody the most representative periods of the artist's production. During your visit to the Studio, you cannot help but be impressed by the profusion of sculptures: the sensitivity, sweetness and inventiveness they express, and the evolution of Orloff's work over the course of her career from 1910 to 1968, are remarkable.
The studio is located in La Villa Seurat in the 14th arrondissement in Paris. It’s a small passage designed in the 1920s by the Lurçat brothers as the cité des artists, where many artists lived and worked.
At the age of thirty-eight, Chana Orloff purchased a plot in La Villa Seurat. She commissioned recognized Parisian architect Auguste Perret to construct a concrete building with large windows, where she could live, create and present her art.
Ariane, her granddaughter, invites me to enter through a narrow corridor into a room filled with natural light. The room is 7 feet high and barely 200 square feet, yet is filled with nearly 200 sculptures. The organization of this private gallery is flawless. While Ariane talks about Chana Orloff, she gently strokes the sculptures. This intimacy between the owner and the artwork is heartwarming. These aren’t cold statues that you observe from a distance, these are loving pieces that you want to approach and admire. I look around and my eyes focus on a sculpture of a woman that towers over everything in the room. As I stand there reflecting, a poem from Nikolai Nekrasov pops into my head about a woman in a Russian village who can, “stop a galloping horse. Will enter the burning hut!” This is her! She is strong and feminine. She is wearing a dress, shoes with heels, and hair covered with a scarf. She is elegant and powerful. With one hand over her shoulder this woman is holding a heavy basket, the other hand is on her waist. The position strikes me as uncomfortable, yet when I look at her face, I see a determined expression looking straight ahead with a soft smile. Is this sculpture a commentary on a woman's life - remain elegant while being strong? Carry a heavy weight yet stay determined and focused? This monumental sculpture that introduces me to Chana Orloff inspires me. I am captivated. I want to learn more about this woman and her art.
Chana Orloff Biography
From Ukraine to Paris: Chana Orloff's Early Life
Chana Orloff came from a small village near present-day Mariupol, Ukraine. She was born in 1888 into a religious Jewish family, the eighth of nine children. She grew up speaking Yiddish at home. After surviving the pogroms, her family left Ukraine as refugees and settled in Palestine, a part of the Ottoman Empire. In 1905 they settled in Petah Tikvah: the Gateway of Hope. Orloff wanted to be independent and one of the few options for women to earn money at that time was to sew. However, being a regular seamstress was not enough for Chana Orloff.
In 1910, Orloff arrived in Paris and became an apprentice in the Paquin haute couture house. The following year, she ranked second in the admission exam to the École des arts décoratifs and attended the Marie-Vassilieff Academy. There she met many artists including Picasso, Foujita, Apollinaire, Modigliani, Soutine… and created her first sculpture: a portrait of her grandmother, based on a photo.
Chana Orloff: The Independent Sculptor
By 1916 Chana Orloff was a recognized sculptor whose art is presented in many galleries. One day she met Polish-born poet, Ary Justman. They married and had a son named Elie. Tragically, Ary Justman died from the Spanish flu three years later. As a single mother in Paris after World War I, Orloff’s family urged her to return to Palestine. However, she stayed in Paris and continued to work. Social, affectionate, ambitious,Orloff was surrounded by friends. She was close to many women who supported her and commissioned her art. These friends became her patrons. Orloff sculpted their portraits. Her innovative work attracted an overwhelming number of commissions.
Sculpture of Marc Jarblum
Orloff’s talent was in capturing and highlighting the smallest detail particular to an individual, a detail that instantly makes him or her recognizable. I am standing in front of a sculpture of a man. It’s Marc Jarblum. I search his name on my phone and I’m amazed – it’s him!
Marc Jarblum (1887–1972) emerged as a prominent figure in the Zionist movement, navigating the tumultuous years between the World Wars with unwavering dedication. Originally from Warsaw, he co-founded Po'alei Zion in Poland and later settled in Paris where he became a central figure in both the Zionist movement and French Jewry. Jarblum's influence extended to the highest echelons of power; he played a pivotal role in securing French support for the UN resolution on the partition of Palestine in 1947. Throughout his life, he held various public positions, including representing Socialist Zionism internationally and serving as the head of the Zionist Federation in France. Even during World War II, Jarblum remained active, engaging in underground activities in unoccupied France and later in Switzerland. After the war, he continued his advocacy work, eventually settling in Tel Aviv, where he contributed to the political department of the Histadrut and authored numerous pamphlets on Jewish affairs in Yiddish and French, leaving behind a legacy of tireless dedication to the Zionist cause.
Orloff’s sculpture is a true representation of deep humanity emerging from this bust, not just capturing the features of his face, but his essence. The sculpture invites the viewer to stare deeply and see Jarblum’s glasses, his mustache, his finger pressing into his cheek. He is thinking. I wish I knew what he was thinking on that day.
Orloff’s Sculpture on Mother and Child Theme
Ariane invites me to continue. I see a sculpture of a woman who embraces her child in the most loving and tender way. Standing adjacent to this sculpture, I am flooded with memories of holding my own babies, cuddling, snuggling and kissing them. This sculpture evokes happiness and nostalgia. I am smiling. Chana Orloff was a strong, independent, free woman who was not scared of being a mother. She created multiple art pieces of women-mothers, some of them dressed as working-class women, some beaming with elegant Parisian style. They have different body shapes, they age, and they all convey a love for motherhood.
Chana Orloff 1925-1968
In 1925 Chana Orloff received the Legion of Honor for her contribution to art. (The National Order of the Legion of Honour, originally known as the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour, stands as the foremost French distinction for merit, encompassing both military and civilian achievements. Conceived by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802, it has persisted through successive French administrations, undergoing occasional modifications while maintaining its essence.) In 1926 she was granted French citizenship. In 1942 she escaped Nazi Occupied France and stayed with a friend in Switzerland, where she continued to create. Upon her return to Paris after the war, she found that the Nazi’s had looted her studio - stealing some and destroying 147 works of art. Read more about Orloff’s stolen art here.
Chana Orloff was not the same woman or artist after the war. Although she didn’t stop creating, her art went through a marked change. She traveled between France and Israel for the rest of her life, and Orloff contributed significantly to the artistic landscape of Israel. Some of her notable sculptures in Israel include:
David Ben-Gurion Statue
Located in Sde Boker, this statue commemorates Israel's first Prime Minister, David Ben-Gurion, capturing his visionary leadership and pivotal role in the establishment of the state.
Nathan Alterman Statue
Situated in Tel Aviv, this sculpture honors the renowned Israeli poet Nathan Alterman, depicting his profound literary contributions and influence on Israeli culture.
Moshe Sharett Statue
Located in Jerusalem, this sculpture commemorates Moshe Sharett, Israel's second Prime Minister, highlighting his diplomatic endeavors and commitment to peace.
"Mother and Child" Sculpture
These sculptures captures the tender bond between a mother and her child. It is located in various places across Israel, including public parks and cultural institutions, serving as a reminder of the universal themes of love and familial connection
In 1968, while in Tel Aviv visiting the installation of her latest exhibit, Chana Orloff died. With time Chana Orloff - a sculptor, a woman, a Jew - has been forgotten outside of Israel.
The Legacy of Chana Orloff
Ariane and her brother Eric are Chana Orloff’s grandchildren, and together they want to protect her legacy. Ariane lives part time in Israel and travels multiple times per year to Paris to take care of the studio. Eric has a full time job as an architect.
During WWII Orloff lost 147 art pieces. After her death 4 sculptures were returned and one of them, child Didi, is currently exhibited at the Museum of Jewish Art and History in Paris. Chana Orloff is having a moment. Zadkine museum in Paris had a retrospective about Chana Orloff and the recent exhibit “Le Paris de La Modernité” at the Petit Palais presented two of her gorgeous sculptures. People stop by, take photos, they are curious to find out who Chana Orloff is.
Ariane is proud of her grandmother and would love to see her sculptures exhibited in the USA, Canada, or another European country. Ariane told me her grandmother always traveled with her sculptures and loved meeting new people. Why not give the opportunities to reintroduce these sculptures to the American public and inspire Jewish girls all over the world to persevere and create?
How you can see Chana Orloff’s work
If you're planning a visit to Paris, I extend a heartfelt invitation to discover the captivating works of Chana Orloff, an artist deeply connected to the soul of this city. As a tour guide dedicated to sharing Jewish history in France and Paris, I feel a profound responsibility to rectify the injustice of Orloff's obscurity by showcasing her remarkable collection on my tours. Let's honor her legacy by experiencing her art firsthand and keeping her memory alive through our discussions and admiration. Join me in remembering Chana Orloff and celebrating her enduring impact on the art world.
Contact me to discuss Chana Orloff’s work and/or to plan your visit to Paris:
Thank you Valeria (read more about Valeria’s work here) for sharing Chana’s story and art with us. And thank YOU for reading and learning alongside me.
Am Yisrael Chai
Kenden