ZACK Lev (Leon) Vasilievich (pennames — Khrisanf, M. Rossiyansky)

July 12, 1892 (Rastyapino, Nizhny Novgorod province) — March 30, 1980 (Paris)

Painter, graphic artist, scene-designer, monumental artist, sculptor, poet

Leon Zack was a cousin of the philosopher S. L. Frank. In 1905–1910 Zack studied art in the private studios of F. I. Rerberg and I. I. Mashkov. At the same time he studied literature of the antiquity at Moscow University. From 1908 till 1917 (with intervals) he took part in the exhibitions of Moscow Association of Artists (MTKh).

Zack wrote poetry, entered the group of Moscow Ego-Futurists Mezzanine of Poetry. Zack was engaged in design of their collections, in particular Blazing Flame by R. Ivnev (1913), Spring Thaw (1911), Carmina, Extravagant Flakones (both — 1913), Fabulous Cathedral (1914) by V. G. Shershenevich, futuristic collections Zasakhare Kry (“Candied Rat”), Vernisage, A Feast in Time of Plague (all — 1913). Zack composed his collection of poetry Pyrotechnical Improvisations (not published).

Zack worked as a book graphic artist at the magazine Zolotoye Runo (“Golden Fleece”). In 1910s he lived in Paris for long periods. In 1916 and in 1917 he exposed his works at the exhibitions of the society Mir Iskusstva (“World of Art”). In 1920 he designed the performance Giselle for the Russian ballet of Vera Nemchinova in Paris. In 1920 Zack emigrated and lived in Florence. In 1922 he moved to Berlin. He worked as a scene-designer for the Russian romantic theatre of B. Romanov in Berlin, in particular he designed the opera-ballet Les millions d’Arlequine by R. Drigo (1922). In 1923 he created a series of lithographs for the Russian publication of the tragedy A Feast in Time of Plague by A. S. Pushkin; in 1924 he drew illustrations to the comedy La Mandragola by N. Machiavelli.

In late 1923 Zack settled in Paris. In 1926 the personal exhibition of the drawings and watercolors by the artist was held in the gallery of Modern art. Later the exhibition of artist’s works was organized in the gallery Percier (1927). Zack participated in the Salon of the Independents, and the Autumn Salon. He became one of the organizers of the Salon des Super Indépendants. In 1928 the works by the artist were exposed at the Exhibition of Russian Art in Brussels and at the Exhibition of Modern French Art in Moscow, in 1935 — at the Exhibition of Russian Art in Prague.
In easel painting and graphic art of 1930s, Zack was close to neo-romanticism.

In 1938 Zack received French citizenship. During occupation of Paris by German army, Zack hid in a village under a borrowed name. In 1943 he created scene and costume design for the performances Stenka Razin by A. K. Glazunov and Prince Igor by A. P. Borodin, for the New Ballets of Monte-Carlo.

After the War, Zack became a popular illustrator. In 1945–1958 hr designed the books Tragedies by T. A. d’Aubigné; Sonnets by P. de Ronsard; Phèdre by J. Racine; The Lettres, Illuminations, A Season in Hell by A. Rimbaud; selected works by P. Verlaine; Les Fleurs du Mal by Ch. Baudelaire.

In 1947 Zack created scene and costume design for the performance Concerto by S. S. Prokofiev for the Opéra-Comique.

In mid 1940s the artist left figurative painting in order to develop his own abstract style. In 1947 he exposed his first works in this style — compositions of geometric figures and strokes against polychromatic background. Later Zack began to paint in more lyrical manner of non-figurative art.

In 1950 Zack created stained-glass window The Way of the Cross and statue of stone Saint Teresa for the church in Carsac. In 1950s–1960s he designed and restored the chapel Notre-Dame-des-Pauvres, the Sacré-Cœur Basilica, the chapel Petits-Frères-des-Pauvres, the Basilica of Sainte-Jeanne-d’Arc in Paris, the church of the Saint-Louis in Brest, the church of Saint-Vincent in Strasbourg and others.

Works by Leon Zack are in many museum and private collections in Russia and abroad, including the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow, the Museum of Modern Art in Paris, the Royal Museum of Fine Arts of Belgium in Brussels, the Russian Museum of History and Culture in Prague, the museums of Nantes and Antwerp.