Jankel Adler, born Jankiel Jakub Adler on 26 July 1895, was a pioneering Polish-Jewish avant-garde painter and printmaker whose work significantly shaped modern art. He was born in Tuszyn, a suburb of Łódź, Poland, as the seventh of ten children. Initially considering a rabbinical career, Adler's artistic journey began in 1912 when he trained as an engraver under his uncle in Belgrade.

In 1914, Adler moved to Germany to live with his sister in Barmen (now part of Wuppertal), studying at the School of Arts and Crafts under Professor Gustav Wiethücher. After a brief return to Łódź in 1918-1919, where he co-founded the Yung-Yidish group of young Jewish artists, Adler's early career was marked by frequent relocations.

A pivotal period in Adler's career was his return to Germany in the early 1920s when he met Marc Chagall in Berlin. In 1922, he settled in Düsseldorf, attended the International Congress of Progressive Artists, and signed the 'Founding Proclamation of the Union of Progressive International Artists.' He also joined the Cologne Progressives, working alongside artists like Franz Seiwert and Otto Freundlich. Teaching at the Düsseldorf Art Academy, Adler formed a close friendship with Paul Klee, whose influence is evident in his work. In 1928, he gained significant recognition by winning a gold medal at the 'Deutsche Kunst Düsseldorf' exhibition.

Adler's style evolved during the late 1920s and early 1930s, moving from Expressionism towards abstraction. His works during this time reflect his Jewish heritage and experimental approach. The rise of Nazism in Germany profoundly impacted Adler's life and work. In 1932, he joined left-wing artists in opposing Nazi policies. With Hitler's rise to power in 1933, Adler fled to Paris, continuing his resistance through his art. The Nazis condemned his work, labelling it as 'degenerate art,' and confiscated many of his pieces. In 1939, he volunteered for the Polish army in France. Following the fall of France in 1940, he was evacuated to Britain, spending time in Glasgow before being discharged on medical grounds in 1941. He then moved to the artist's colony in Kirkcudbright, Scotland, where he created notable works like 'Venus of Kirkcudbright.'

In 1943, Adler relocated to London, where his international perspective influenced a generation of British artists, including Robert Colquhoun and Robert MacBryde. By 1945, with the support of patron Jimmy Bomford, Adler moved to Aldbourne, Wiltshire. During this period, he received the devastating news that none of his nine siblings had survived the Holocaust.

Adler's later work, characterized by an eclectic and expressionist style influenced by Klee and Picasso, continued to garner acclaim. His first solo exhibition in 1942 at the Redfern Gallery was followed by shows at the Lefevre and Gimpel Fils galleries.

Jankel Adler died on 25 April 1949 in Aldbourne and was buried in the Jewish cemetery at Bushey, Hertfordshire. A posthumous retrospective by the Arts Council at the Burlington Galleries solidified his status as a crucial figure in 20th-century art. His legacy is a testament to his resilience and artistic innovation, particularly during the tumultuous era of the Second World War.

Sources

https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/term/BIOG16917

https://www.nationalgalleries.org/art-and-artists/artists/jankel-adler

A Dictionary of Modern and Contemporary Art (Oxford University Press)

https://www.kirkcudbrightgalleries.org.uk/artists-footsteps/artist/jankel-adler/

https://aldbourneheritage.org.uk/village-history/wholived/jankel-adler-artist