BIOGRAPHY
Paul Ackerman was a French painter, lithographer, sculptor, and theater designer. He was born on September 17, 1908, in Iași, Romania, and died on March 13, 1981, in Paris. He was a member of the École de Paris and influenced modern art with his approach blending abstraction and figuration.
Paul Ackerman was a French painter, lithographer, sculptor, and theater decorator, born on September 17, 1908, in Iași, Romania, and passed away on March 13, 1981, in Paris. He was associated with the School of Paris and left a significant mark on modern art with his approach blending abstraction and figuration.
Paul Ackerman was four years old when, in 1912, his father, a company administrator and great art enthusiast, decided—compelled by "the harsh reality of antisemitism in Romania"—to move to Paris, settling in a large villa facing the Bois de Vincennes. He completed his secondary education at the Lycée Charlemagne (where he befriended Gabriel Arout, a future playwright for whom he would later create stage designs) and then at the École Alsacienne.
Starting in 1925, Ackerman studied law and literature at the Sorbonne, but as a frequent visitor to the Louvre Museum, he knew his true calling lay elsewhere.
In 1933, Paul Ackerman met Simone Laverrière, originally from Royan, whom he married in 1935. In 1936, in his studio at 100 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, he designed posters, textiles, and jewelry for Elsa Schiaparelli and Marcel Rochas while also attending Fernand Léger's studio.
In 1939, Paul Ackerman was mobilized, taken prisoner, and later released. He reunited with his wife Simone in Vichy, where he was expelled as a Jew and fled to Saint-Tropez. He then led a secluded life in the south of France, with limited resources (painting on newspaper), and befriended Pierre Bonnard. From 1942 to 1945, he continued this reclusive life in Chindrieux, in Savoie, painting landscapes, nudes, still lifes, and self-portraits.
After the Liberation in 1945, Paul Ackerman returned to his Parisian studio, though he frequently traveled back to Saint-Tropez, where he reunited with Pierre Bonnard and associated with Picasso. In Paris, he met Serge Poliakoff, Jean Dubuffet, Jean-Michel Atlan, and especially Alexandre Garbell, with whom he formed a close friendship. This period was quickly followed by his first exhibition at Raymond Creuze’s gallery in 1947 and the Pacquement Prize in 1950.
Paul Ackerman's work is characterized by its versatility, variations, transitions, phases, periods, cycles, shifts, metamorphoses, and even contradictions. Never confined to a single style, he was both one of the most secretive painters and sculptors of his time and one of those who bore witness to it. While the formal aspects of his work in the 1950s classified him as an abstract painter, a closer look soon revealed the concrete reality that inspired him. After making a complete turn, Ackerman decisively returned to figuration in his major cycles on Rembrandt, Vivaldi, and Dickens.
One can sense, subtly woven into his work, his readings of certain esoteric authors (notably René Guénon), as confirmed by his handwritten notes filled with personal reflections—although the artist himself contradicted this by stating: "I was not guided by anything. I do not know where these images came from, nor why I created them."
Paul Ackerman’s inclination toward esotericism became more evident in 1965 with Agartha, a concept defined by René Guénon as "an underground world extending its ramifications beneath all continents." Ackerman felt compelled to make this invisible world visible. His work, which finds its unity in its diversity, thus belongs to a metaphysical realm where everything holds symbolic meaning.
"Either time will be kind to my work," wrote Paul Ackerman in his notes, "and will grant it that indispensable value that makes an artwork resonate with future generations, in which case I will have truly lived; or time will erase what I have done, and in that case, I will have been nothing but a speck of dust."
Paul Ackerman passed away in 1981 and was laid to rest in the Bagneux cemetery.
Evolution of Paul Ackerman’s Market Value
Since his passing in 1981, Paul Ackerman’s market value has fluctuated, influenced by market dynamics, institutional recognition, and the interest of art collectors in post-war artists. His works frequently appear in auctions, primarily in Europe, and remain relatively accessible compared to other artists of the School of Paris.
Price Ranges
The prices of Paul Ackerman’s works vary depending on the technique, period of creation, size, and provenance:
Paintings: His canvases generally sell for between €500 and €4,500, with exceptional auction results reaching higher amounts depending on rarity and buyer interest.
Watercolors and Drawings: Works on paper are typically valued between €300 and €1,600, depending on their condition and significance within the artist’s career.
Factors Influencing Value
Authenticity and Provenance: A certified work from a prestigious collection will hold greater value.
Exhibitions and Publications: Works that have been exhibited in museums or documented in catalogues raisonnés enjoy better market recognition.
Market Trends: Fluctuating interest in the School of Paris and the increasing appreciation of lesser-known artists influence demand.
Condition: The overall preservation of a piece is a crucial factor that significantly impacts its value.
Future Prospects
While Paul Ackerman’s market value remains relatively affordable today, it could rise with increased recognition of his work. The organization of retrospective exhibitions, the publication of a catalogue raisonné, and the growing interest of collectors in the School of Paris could contribute to an upward trend in his prices.
