JEAN

Jacob Kramer was born into a Jewish family in Klintsy, Russia (now Klincy, Ukraine) in 1892, immigrating to England with his family and settling in Leeds in 1900, escaping the persecution and economic deprivation of Russia at that time.  Although the family were also in impoverished circumstances in Leeds, Kramer showed an early aptitude for drawing and studied at Leeds School of Art from 1907 winning several scholarships. In 1913 he won a scholarship to study at the Slade School of Art where his circle included Mark Gertler, David Bomberg and Jacob Epstein.  He exhibited with them in the groundbreaking show ‘Twentieth Century Art: A Review of Modern Movements’ at the Whitechapel Gallery in 1914. Kramer continued to exhibit widely, with the London Group, the New English Art Club and at the first Vorticist exhibition at the Dore Galleries in 1915.  In 1917 a reproduction of his painting ‘The Jew’ caused controversy in the national press over its extreme modernism.  During the First World War, as a so-called ‘friendly alien’ he was conscripted as a regimental librarian.

Jacob Epstein made a bust of Kramer in 1921. Epstein says of Kramer, ‘[he] was a model who seemed to be on fire. He was extraordinarily nervous. Energy seemed to leap into his hair as he sat, and sometimes he would be shaken by queer trembling like ague. I would try to calm him so as to get on with the work.’

Postwar his success grew, and he had his first solo exhibition at the Adelphi Galleries in London.  He returned to Leeds after a crisis of confidence in the early 1920s where he stayed, setting up the Yorkshire Luncheon Group to foster discussion of art and culture, which continued from 1930s-50s.  Though he had his struggles later in life (Alan Bennett recalls mistaking him in the 50s for a tramp, dirty and drunk), he continued to work and had another solo show in 1935 at the Leger Galleries in London.  He also became known for his pastel portraits, including one of Mahatma Gandhi.

A major retrospective of Kramer’s work was held at Leeds Art Gallery in 1960 which attracted a record attendance.  He died in Leeds in 1962, and there have been two posthumous exhibitions held at Ben Uri Gallery.  His work is held in many public collections, including the Tate and the National Portrait Gallery.

This little portrait of Jean was painted in approximately 1940 when she was about 8 years old, it was painted as a gift for the family with whom Kramer was lodging at the time in Norton, a village outside Stockton in Teeside, Jean was their daughter.  The profile of Jean is particularly well observed, with sparing and careful brushstrokes, and the painting is imbued with a real sense of affection.

Medium: Oil on board

Signed: Yes

Size: 36 x 30cm

Provenance: Directly from the family of the sitter