Mark Gertler
Early Life and Career
Mark Gertler (born Marks Gertler; December 9, 1891 – June 23, 1939) was a British painter of figure subjects, portraits, and still life, whose distinctive style—characterized by bold colors and expressive brushstrokes—earned him recognition as one of the leading artists of his generation. Born to Polish Jewish immigrant parents in Spitalfields, London, Gertler’s formative years were shaped by poverty and familial
upheaval, experiences that profoundly impacted his artistic vision. His father, Louis Gertler, abandoned the family shortly after their son's birth in pursuit of work in America, leaving Golda Berenbaum to raise her five children alone amidst considerable hardship. Despite these difficulties, Gertler demonstrated exceptional talent for drawing from a young age, enrolling in art classes at Regent Street Polytechnic in 1906 despite his f…
