David Jean, born in Rumania in 1908, immigrated in 1942, died in 1993 Jean David studied art in Rumania and was closely acquainted with artists of the Dada movement. During World War II he escaped from Rumania in a decrepit sailboat, aiming for Eretz Israel, was detained by the British and deported to the illegal immigrant's camp in Cyprus, but eventually managed to get into the country, enlisted in the British army and later in the Israeli navy. David was a versatile artist engaged in the most varied pursuits; he mastered different media, such as pencil and India ink, watercolor, pastel, oil painting, and collage; decorated passenger liners, airplanes, and public buildings; designed carpets, tourist posters, stamps, and coins; and produced prints. Although he exhibited sporadically with the New Horizons group, David remained essentially faithful to figurative painting. His work is zestful, humorous, and erotic, featuring odd combinations with a touch of surrealism: a human body metamorphosing into an imaginary creature, a still-life swarming with life, schematic figures encased within walls, and women without arms and facial features.
