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    Lost Art Salon
    • | All Art
    • | New Arrivals
    • I Bernard Zawisa
    • | Gaétan Caron
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    • | Curator's Vault
    • | Book Your Visit
    • | Artist by Name
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    • | Art by Medium
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      Saul Lishinsky

      Saul Lishinsky

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      Saul Lishinsky (1922-2012)

      • The Collection
      • The Story
      • Saul Lishinsky was born in 1922 in Carbondale, Illinois. His Russian-Jewish family later moved to the Bronx, and Lishinsky remained in New York City for the rest of this life.  Lishinsky served in WWII, and several pieces in the Lost Art Salon Collection feature imagery from his experiences on the front.  

        During the Summers of 1946-1948, Lishinsky studied in Provincetown with Hans Hoffman, and attended the Art Students league in New York City.  His cousin, WPA painter Abraham Lishinsky, encouraged his art and he found inspiration in the works of Rembrandt and Cezanne- evidence of both are seen in his portraits and scenes of the New York working-class, laden with strong lines and attention to light and shadows.

        Lishinsky had his first show at the 44th Street Gallery in 1946. He would later have eight one-man shows throughout the 1960s. He last exhibited at the Westbeth Gallery in 2006.

        He counted amongst his close friends, important artists of the day including; Alice Neel, Phillip Reisman, Anthony Toney, Joseph Soloman, John Krucman, Louis Harris and Theo Fried. He was known as a social activist and founded the Bronx Community Murals project. Prominent murals by Lishinsky can still be seen throughout the greater New York City area.  He was also a published poet, and in 1958 published his drawings and poems in a collection entitled “The Tune of Calliope: Poems and Drawings of New York.”

        Lishinsky worked passionately as an art therapist, publishing many articles in the field and instructing professional artists and amateurs in the psychiatric treatment of patients through art therapy. He wrote, “The art program I conduct is based on my conviction that art is a wholesome, socially necessary form of work. As in other forms of work and play, consistency, persistence, and purposeful striving must be nourished.  The essential nature of art, however, gives genuine artistic work special pertinence to mental health.”*

        In 2008 Lishinsky moved into a nursing home and his entire studio, filled with nearly seven decades of work was sold. The collection at Lost Art Salon came by way of this sale.

        Lishinsky was interviewed in his studio in 2005 and had this to say about his life as an artist: “When I am asked, I say I am 39. I’m really 83. I have no plans to pass away. I’ve lived in Westbeth since 1974. That year, I got divorced. I had a little brownstone on Manhattan Avenue. The whole top floor was my studio.

        I had a cousin, Abe Lishinsky, who was a WPA painter. He encouraged me. He said, “Draw whatever you see a lot.” I’ve done that all my life. He said, “Don’t go to the National Academy.” He did that and he felt it crippled him as a painter.

        I had a studio off Times Square. At the beginning, I got by doing commercial work. The pay was only $20 to $30 a week, but that was enough. My rent was only $24.50 a month.

        When I was 24, I had my first show at the 44th Street gallery. My wife and I were in Provincetown for the summer from 1946 to ‘48. We rented a shack behind a chicken coop.

        People in New York City were struggling to make money. I was just satisfied with the money I was making part time so I could exist and keep painting. In order to get a teaching job, you had to have some shows. I had some shows. You had to have write-ups and a point of view. The point of view was cheapening, limiting the expression. You had to give it a name and the name was not enough. That’s what happens to artists. It is not a matter of talent. It is the struggle to get along, the doggedness, sticking to the most intense expression you can get. The struggle to get along and be recognized is what really deflates the spirit.

        Gaining acceptability as an artist is mechanical. It is dead. To live, you have to sell your art, but merchandising is cheapening. Merchandising eliminates art that is unpleasant. Unpleasantness is part of life and it has to be shown with what is beautiful. I sell art when I can, but people don’t want to pay. There was this guy, a scenic designer for Balanchine. I made sketches of him. I started a painting of him. He wanted the painting and we agreed to $1000. I reworked the painting and a year passed. He said that he couldn’t afford a thousand dollars. He only wanted to pay $500. That is why I don’t sell.”

        *Courtesy of Dylan Foley’s obituary on the artist
      View All _|_ View Available _|_ View Sold
      Thoughtful Portrait of a Woman<br>20th Century Ink<br><br>#10790
      Thoughtful Portrait of a Woman
      20th Century Ink

      #10790
      Saul Lishinsky $245
      New York Abstraction<br>20th Century Watercolor & Ink<br><br>#10410
      New York Abstraction
      20th Century Watercolor & Ink

      #10410
      Saul Lishinsky $335
      Couple Walking Down the Street<br>20th Century Ink<br><br>#10405
      Couple Walking Down the Street
      20th Century Ink

      #10405
      Saul Lishinsky $295
      Minimalist New York People Scene <br>Mid Century Ink <br><br>#57939
      Minimalist New York People Scene
      Mid Century Ink

      #57939
      Saul Lishinsky $245
      Modernist Gentleman with Glasses <br>Mid Century Graphite <br><br>#58056
      Modernist Gentleman with Glasses
      Mid Century Graphite

      #58056
      Saul Lishinsky Sold $455
      Sold
      Man on a New York Stoop<br>1940-60s<br><br>#10400
      Man on a New York Stoop
      1940-60s

      #10400
      Saul Lishinsky $235
      Woman in Profile<br>Graphite, Mid Century<br><br>#57901
      Woman in Profile
      Graphite, Mid Century

      #57901
      Saul Lishinsky $245
      Modernist Portrait Study<br>Ink, 1940-60s<br><br>#10423
      Modernist Portrait Study
      Ink, 1940-60s

      #10423
      Saul Lishinsky $335
      Mid Century Moderinst Ink Figure<br><br>#7726
      Mid Century Moderinst Ink Figure

      #7726
      Saul Lishinsky $435
      Artist at the Easel<br>Mid Century Ink on Paper<br><br>#10787
      Artist at the Easel
      Mid Century Ink on Paper

      #10787
      Saul Lishinsky $335
      Abstracted Ink Studies<br>Mid Century<br><br>#58029
      Abstracted Ink Studies
      Mid Century

      #58029
      Saul Lishinsky $385
      Trees in Central Park<br>1940-60s<br><br>#10420
      Trees in Central Park
      1940-60s

      #10420
      Saul Lishinsky Sold $495
      Sold
      Abstracted Forms<br>Ink, Mid Century<br><br>#58081
      Abstracted Forms
      Ink, Mid Century

      #58081
      Saul Lishinsky $365
      Abstracted City Skyline <br>Mid Century <br><br>#10800
      Abstracted City Skyline
      Mid Century

      #10800
      Saul Lishinsky Sold $245
      Sold
      Modernist Sketch<br>Mid Century, Graphite<br><br>#57889
      Modernist Sketch
      Mid Century, Graphite

      #57889
      Saul Lishinsky $165
      Modernist Tower Sketch<br>1940-60s<br><br>#10384
      Modernist Tower Sketch
      1940-60s

      #10384
      Saul Lishinsky $295
      Quiet Contemplation <br>Modernist Ink Drawing <br><br>#10799
      Quiet Contemplation
      Modernist Ink Drawing

      #10799
      Saul Lishinsky Sold $395
      Sold
      Woman at a Mirror<br>Ink, Mid Century<br><br>#7741
      Woman at a Mirror
      Ink, Mid Century

      #7741
      Saul Lishinsky $345
      Figure Drawing Class<br>Ink, Mid Century<br><br>#57972
      Figure Drawing Class
      Ink, Mid Century

      #57972
      Saul Lishinsky $325
      <i>Self-Conscious</i><br>1940-60s Graphite<br><br>#10801
      Self-Conscious
      1940-60s Graphite

      #10801
      Saul Lishinsky $295
      1940-60s Ink Park Study<br>1940-60s<br><br>#10404
      1940-60s Ink Park Study
      1940-60s

      #10404
      Saul Lishinsky $395
      Woman in the Kitchen<br>Ink, 1940-60s<br><br>#10578
      Woman in the Kitchen
      Ink, 1940-60s

      #10578
      Saul Lishinsky $295
      Woman Reading - Sketch<br>1940-60s<br><br>#10372
      Woman Reading - Sketch
      1940-60s

      #10372
      Saul Lishinsky $245
      Modernist Ink Sketch<br><br>#57933
      Modernist Ink Sketch

      #57933
      Saul Lishinsky $265
      Loose Ink Sketch<br>Mid Century, New York<br><br>#57899
      Loose Ink Sketch
      Mid Century, New York

      #57899
      Saul Lishinsky Sold $235
      Sold
      Abstracted Figures<br>Linoleum Block Print<br><br>#57892
      Abstracted Figures
      Linoleum Block Print

      #57892
      Saul Lishinsky Sold $275
      Sold
      Desktop Study<br>Ink, 1940-60s<br><br>#10399
      Desktop Study
      Ink, 1940-60s

      #10399
      Saul Lishinsky $295
      Modernist Portrait Study<br>Ink, 1940-60s<br><br>#10422
      Modernist Portrait Study
      Ink, 1940-60s

      #10422
      Saul Lishinsky Sold $335
      Sold
      Haloed Woman<br>Mid Century Ink Drawing<br><br>#57873
      Haloed Woman
      Mid Century Ink Drawing

      #57873
      Saul Lishinsky $245
      Expressive Lake Scene<br>Etching on paper<br><br>#10378
      Expressive Lake Scene
      Etching on paper

      #10378
      Saul Lishinsky Sold $295
      Sold
      Artist Sketching<br>Ink, Mid Century<br><br>#10785
      Artist Sketching
      Ink, Mid Century

      #10785
      Saul Lishinsky Sold $295
      Sold
      Modernist New York Sketch<br> Ink, 1940-60s<br><br>#10376
      Modernist New York Sketch
      Ink, 1940-60s

      #10376
      Saul Lishinsky Sold $245
      Sold
      Cityscene in Abstraction<br>Ink, 1940-60s<br><br>#10382
      Cityscene in Abstraction
      Ink, 1940-60s

      #10382
      Saul Lishinsky Sold $295
      Sold
      City Study<br>New York, 1940-60s<br><br>#10401
      City Study
      New York, 1940-60s

      #10401
      Saul Lishinsky Sold $245
      Sold
      Ink Mid Century Sketch<br><br>#57976
      Ink Mid Century Sketch

      #57976
      Saul Lishinsky $295
      At the Drafting Table<br>Ink, 1940-60s<br><br>#10406
      At the Drafting Table
      Ink, 1940-60s

      #10406
      Saul Lishinsky Sold $335
      Sold
      Sketchbook Studies, Trio<br><br>#10796
      Sketchbook Studies, Trio

      #10796
      Saul Lishinsky $435
      Artist in the Park<br>1940-60s<br><br>#10416
      Artist in the Park
      1940-60s

      #10416
      Saul Lishinsky Sold $335
      Sold
      Modernist Portrait of a Bearded Man<br>Ink, 1940-60s<br><br>#10821
      Modernist Portrait of a Bearded Man
      Ink, 1940-60s

      #10821
      Saul Lishinsky Sold $385
      Sold
      Expressive Coastal Scene<br>Ink, 1940-60s<br><br>#10398
      Expressive Coastal Scene
      Ink, 1940-60s

      #10398
      Saul Lishinsky $295
      <i>Scott Garelick</i><br>Ink, 1940-60s<br><br>#10797
      Scott Garelick
      Ink, 1940-60s

      #10797
      Saul Lishinsky Sold $435
      Sold
      Woman at Rest<br>Ink, 1940-60s<br><br>#10391
      Woman at Rest
      Ink, 1940-60s

      #10391
      Saul Lishinsky $245
      Potted Plant At the Window<br>Ink, Mid Century<br><br>#7739
      Potted Plant At the Window
      Ink, Mid Century

      #7739
      Saul Lishinsky $335
      Modernist Train Scene<br>New York, 1940-60s<br><br>#10392
      Modernist Train Scene
      New York, 1940-60s

      #10392
      Saul Lishinsky Sold $295
      Sold
      Modernist Ink Sketch<br><br>#57931
      Modernist Ink Sketch

      #57931
      Saul Lishinsky Sold $265
      Sold
      Man in Thought<br>Ink, 1940-60s<br><br>#10388
      Man in Thought
      Ink, 1940-60s

      #10388
      Saul Lishinsky Sold $375
      Sold
      1940-60s Hillside Drawing<br>Ink on Paper<br><br>#10397
      1940-60s Hillside Drawing
      Ink on Paper

      #10397
      Saul Lishinsky $295
      Central Park Study<br>1940-60s<br><br>#10717
      Central Park Study
      1940-60s

      #10717
      Saul Lishinsky $335
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