Leon Kossoff

Leon Kossoff was a British figurative painter known for his expressive, heavily impastoed portraits and cityscapes of London, often depicting familiar scenes like "Family Group no. 3" (1962).

ABOUT

Born on City Road in Islington, London, in 1926, Leon Kossoff’s art was deeply rooted in his surroundings and personal experiences. His early life was spent in London with his Russian-Jewish family from Ukraine, and he began making his first paintings while evacuated to King's Lynn, Norfolk, during World War II. After military service, Kossoff returned to London to study art, notably under David Bomberg at Borough Polytechnic from 1950 to 1952. This period was crucial, as he…

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NOTABLE WORKS

Self-Portrait 1952 · Tate Riverside Building Site No. 2 1951 · Ferens Art Gallery City Building Site 1956 · Royal College of Art Untitled (Willesden Junction) 1956 · Royal College of Art Father Seated in Armchair 1960 · Israel Museum Man in a Wheelchair 1960 · Tate

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INFLUENCES

Influenced by

David BombergBorough Group Frank AuerbachExpressionism

Influenced

Chaïm SoutineExpressionism