A Life of Displacement and Artistry
Born in Wrocław, Poland, Eugene Spiro was a German and American painter and lithographer. His early career saw him become a member of the Vienna Secession in 1900, followed by travels to Venice and Paris. By 1906, he was a member of the Berlin Secession and moved to Paris, where he met the graphic artist Hans Purrmann. His life was marked by significant transitions; he was appointed to the Prussian Academy of Arts in Berlin in 1911 and married Elizabeth Saenger-Sethe in 1917. During the interwar period, the couple traveled extensively through Northern Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, Morocco, and Croatia.
Due to his Jewish origins and the policies of the Nazi regime, Spiro left Germany in 1935, settling in Paris. He lived in Sanary-sur-Mer and joined the International League Against Anti-Semitism in 1938. Following the German invasion of France, he fled to Biarritz and Marseille, where he was briefly interred at the Gurs prison camp before traveling through Spain to the United States.
The American and Later Years
After arriving in New York in 1941, Spiro remarried Lilly Jacobi. His presence in the American art scene was marked by several solo exhibitions at the Galerie St. Etienne and the Salmagundi Art Club in 1943. In the 1950s, he returned to Germany and continued to travel through Denmark, Switzerland, France, and England.
His contributions were recognized later in life when he was awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in 1964. A major retrospective of his works was organized by Berlin at the Berlinische Gallerie in 1969. He passed away in New York.
Questions & Answers
What are the birthplace and birth year of Eugene Spiro?
Eugene Spiro was born in Wrocław in 1874.
What other names is Eugene Spiro known by?
Eugene Spiro appears under the alternate names Eugen Spiro, Eug. Spiro, E. Spiro, Spiro.
How can I see every artwork made by Eugene Spiro?
Every work by Eugene Spiro on this website can be browsed from the artist's All Artworks page.
How popular are Eugene Spiro's artworks?
A Stats page exists for Eugene Spiro, presenting statistics about the artist's artworks on this website.
