Jacques Lipchitz : The First Cubist Sculptor

Jacques Lipchitz (1891-1973) is recognised as the most significant Cubist sculptor of the 20th century. It was Lipchitz who embraced the movement's language and consistently translated its ideologies into sculptural forms. A Jewish immigrant, Lipchitz arrived in Paris in 1909 where he established himself as one of the capital's most successful avant-garde artists. The threat of Hitler's troops prompted Lipchitz to move to America in 1941, where he stayed until his death in 1973, successfully rebuilt his career and became recognised as the grand old man of Cubism. Little has been written on Lipchitz's career as a whole, but this work, published to accompany a gift of 40 sculptures to the Courtauld Gallery, London, sets out to redress this. Cathy Putz presents a thorough analysis of the sculptor's career illustrated with 80 colour images and numerous archival photographs, some of which have never been seen before.