Sold at Auction: Joseph Pressmane

Joseph Pressmane became a painter connected to the School of Paris during the early twentieth century. After some travel in Palestine he came to Paris in 1927 with the aim of seeing works by Paul Cézanne. Gaining French citizenship, Pressmane worked in the Ranson Academy with Roger Bissière and spent free time, on Sundays, studying works by the French Masters in the Louvre. A patron named Zborowski began to purchase Pressmane’s paintings in 1932 but he died too soon to fulfill expectations. Several paintings were hung in Parisian exhibitions, thus gaining public acclaim and support of the Baroness Alex de Rothschild. Support to his career became so lean that Pressmane had to perform house painting as a means to survive. Then, in 1939, WWII forced Pressman into hiding for several years. Until the Liberation of 1945, Pressmane suffered deeply, having to hide in cellars and even in cupboards. He began painting again after the Liberation and joined activities in the Painters Witness of their Era foundation. In 1951 Pressman won the Critics Prize and the year following the Burlhe Prize in Switzerland. Pressmane was shy or reserved by nature and hence avoided Parisian life and its activities while continuing to paint until his death in 1967. Many collections hold his works that show strong mural-like qualities with notable influences from the paintings of Cézanne.