AVIGDOR ARIKHA was born in Bukovina (Romania) in 1929, drew his first portraits from life in childhood and continued in Nazi deportation from where he was rescued in March 1944 and brought to Palestine, to kibbutz Maaleh haHamisha. He was severely wounded in Israel’s War of Independence (January 1948). He studied art at Bezalel, Jerusalem (1946-1949) and at the Ecole des Beaux Arts, Paris (1949-51); he later studied philosophy at the Sorbonne (in the mid fifties), before taking on art-history. In addition to his activities as a painter, draughtsman, etcher (pulling himself his prints, between 1970-75) Arikha has written numerous articles, mostly on art history as well as scholarly catalogues for exhibitions he curated at the Louvre, the Israel Museum, the Frick Collection, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, among others. He also lectured on art in various academic institutions, gave talks on radio and made a number of television films. Arikha lives mostly in Paris, partly in Jerusalem and has also resided in Stockholm, London and New York. Awards and honors': Gold Medal, Triennial, Milan, 1954; Chevalier des Arts ET Letters, Paris, 1978; Grand Prix des Arts de la Ville de Paris, Paris, 1987; Prix des Arts des Lettres et des Sciences, Foundation du Judaïsme Francis, Paris, 1989. Honorary degrees: Honorary Professor, National Academy of Fine Arts of China, Hangchow, 1995; Doctor Philosophiae. Honoris Causa, the Hebrew University, Jerusalem, 1997.
