Robert H. Bizinsky:
An American In Paris

With a debt to his post-Impressionist and Fauvist mentors, Robert H. (Hyman) Bizinsky (1915-1982) returns into the limelight with a rediscovery of these exuberantly painted canvases. Reawakening our memories of Paris – he has explored its picturesque cafes, bookstalls along the Seine, historic bridges and dazzling monuments – with a discerning eye and explosively loaded brush.

Evoking the ‘wild style’ of his mentor – Achille Emile Othon Friesz (1879-1949) who was an original Fauve, Bizinsky blossomed into his own. Unquestionably, these canvases define the authenticity of ‘An American in Paris’ at the height of his powers. With echoes of Dufy, Derain, and Utrillo, Biz created his own signature style. These paintings reveal an innately skilled force, imbued with an array of passions and sensibilities. Most notably, they capture the ‘joie de vivre’ of the School of Paris.

Born in Atlanta and trained at the High Art Museum’s school for the arts, ‘Biz’ gained early recognition as the editorial sketch artist for ‘The Atlanta Constitution.’ Serving in the US Army’s 1st Armored Division as a combat engineer, he documented the North African campaign in 1943 in a series of 580 watercolors and sketches now in the U.S. Army Historical Center in Washington, D.C.

After the war he benefitted from the ‘golden age’ of the GI Bill by enrolling at NewYork’s Art Students League. Studying under Hans Hofmann (1880-1966) in New York and at his Provincetown studio, Biz was encouraged to enroll in the Friesz atelier, departing for Paris in 1947. He soon became one of the most noteworthy young Americans in post-war Paris, gaining critical and professional recognition. LIFE magazine included him in a 1949 article about the ‘new expatriates’ and the Paris edition of ‘The International Herald Tribune’ praised qualities of his art in its “distinguishable temperament” [which] “never lose a constant quantity of spontaneity, freshness, and lyricism.”

We are honored to present this collection of rediscovered paintings – reviving and returning an American artist to our current attention. Between past and present, Bizinsky endures earning the appellation of ‘tres magnifique!’
by Philip Eliasoph, Ph.D.
Professor of Art History at Fairfield University. His lifelong pursuit is the rediscovery and reassessment of forgotten American artists of the 20th century who once held positions of critical significance. Advocating their meritorious – but overshadowed — achievements, Dr. Eliasoph has published groundbreaking monographs on Paul Cadmus, Robert Vickrey, and Colleen Browning. He teaches American Painting, Florentine Renaissance Culture, Art & Nazism, Museum Studies, and Jewish Art: From Moses to Modigliani.