Joseph Constant (1892-1969)

Joseph Constant (born: Constantinovsky) was a Palestinian artist of Russian-Jewish heritage active in Paris from 1923. Joseph Constant spent his early years in Odessa, enrolling at the Academy of Fine Arts in 1914. Following the death of his father and brother during one of the pogroms, Constant and his wife made the decision to leave Russia. They travelled to Palestine, Egypt, Turkey, Romania and, finally, arrived in Paris.

As well as being part of the network of artists of Montparnasse, Constant joined the Parisian literary circle under the pseudonym Michel Matveev. Throughout the 1930s he gradually abandoned the medium of painting in favour of sculpture. The Second World War interrupted his work as an artist. He joined the French army but, following the occupation, had to go into hiding. However, after the war he returned to his Paris studio and gained great renown as a sculptor both in France and abroad. In 1962, the mayor of Ramat Gan invited Joseph Constant to take up residency in the artists' quarter of the city. From then on Joseph Constant shared his time between his studios in Paris and Ramat Gan. The latter now houses a museum dedicated to the artist.

Joseph Constant exhibited at Salon des Indépendents (1928-1931), Salon d'Automne (1928, 1949, 1950), Salon des Tuileries (1932/1933). He held solo shows at Galerie Zak (1930), Billet (1936), Challecin (1946, 1948), Musee des Arts Decoratifs (1957), and Transposition (1960).