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Itzchak Tarkay (1935–2012)

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Itzchak Tarkay was a modern figurative painter celebrated for his elegant, contemplative women, often shown resting in intimate interiors, on sunlit terraces or in city cafés. His paintings are known for rich, glowing color, flowing line and a quiet, dreamlike mood.

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Born in Subotica in 1935, Tarkay survived imprisonment at the Mauthausen-Gusen camp as a child during the Second World War. In 1949 he emigrated with his family to Israel, where he studied art at the Bezalel Academy and the Avni Institute. After a pause of about fifteen years, he returned to painting full time in 1975, and his work gained international attention at Artexpo New York in 1986 and 1987.

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Tarkay drew inspiration from French Impressionism and Post-Impressionism, especially Henri Matisse and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. Rather than fine detail, he focused on color, pattern and atmosphere. Despite the hardships of his early life, his art expresses joy, warmth and calm.

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His work has been featured in more than 50 exhibitions around the world, and he was the only artist to collaborate with kinetic artist Yaacov Agam on two paintings.

Original works by Itzchak Tarkay are on permanent display at Gallery Lake Geneva, 830 W Main St #100, Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, and at Noure's Gallery in Chicago's Design Center. Visit us in Lake Geneva Monday to Saturday 10–5 or Sunday 11–5, or call 262-248-2222 to ask about available pieces.

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