Naoum ARONSON
Born in Kraslava, Naoum began his artistic training at the Vilnius Academy of Arts from 1889. In 1891, he is at Paris for the Ecole National Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs who he studies under Hector Lemaire. He also frequents the shop of Auguste Rodin who will deeply mark his style.
Aronson’s manner is considered a "sculptural symbolism". He mixes movement and sensitivity, learned from Rodin, with a spiritual and emotional research that is unique to him. He places great importance on the face and interiorized expressions.
In 1897, he exhibits, for the first time in Paris, at Salon de la société nationale des Beaux-Arts which takes place at the Champ de Mars with the piece L’Au-Delà, a marble bas-relief and also with Portrait de Mr. Manoury which is a plaster chest. This exhibition marks his debut.
He become famous for his bust of intellectuel and political figure like Ludwig van Beethoven, Louis Pasteur and Vladimir Lénine.
Naoum Aronson participate at the Universal echibition of 1900 in the Russian section and will have a great recognition. After that, the Decour Gallery invites him to a retrospective with pieces that traces his entire career: among them, we find the chest Tolstoï in bronze and the chest Beethoven. These two pieces are part of the most well-known masterpieces of the sculptor.
Naoum was appointed Officer of the Legion of Honor in 1938 for his entire career, testifying to his influence in the Parisian artistic community.