Ecole de Paris / A Constellation of Artists in Search of Modernity

When Chagall and Soutine and Modigliani Painted Paris

A Constellation of Artists in Search of Modernity

At the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th, Paris was the global capital of the avant-garde. It was in this vibrant and dynamic city that what would later be called the School of Paris was born. This term did not refer to a formal school or a specific artistic movement, but rather to a diverse and cosmopolitan group of artists—many of them coming from Eastern Europe—drawn to Paris by the promise of freedom, creativity, and modern expression. Many of these artists were fleeing persecution, particularly the pogroms and antisemitism rampant in countries like Russia and Poland. Paris, in contrast, represented a land of refuge, a place where they could live and create freely, as equal citizens, protected by the values of liberty and secularism. Others came simply because Paris was the beating heart of the art world, the place where everything was happening, especially in neighborhoods like la Ruche at Montparnasse and Montmartre’s Bateau-Lavoir.

In this creative melting pot, artists supported each other—they shared studios, exhibited together, and often exchanged their paintings for a meal or a place to sleep.

The School of Paris was composed largely of Jewish artists, shaped by their heritage but united by a common desire to find freedom, integration, and artistic innovation in Paris.

They crossed paths with Picasso, Modigliani, Soutine, Chagall, Zadkine, Sonia Delaunay  and Foujita, sharing ideas in cafés, workshops, and salons. Some left their canvases behind in exchange for a hot meal, others sold only a single painting in their lifetime. Many lived in poverty and obscurity, only gaining recognition after death.

What bound them together was not a style, but a spirit—a hunger for modernity, self-expression, and influence. The School of Paris was a unique explosion of creativity, born of cultural exchange and shared struggle. Whether Jewish or not, what mattered was being in Paris, the city that allowed them to create, evolve, and dream.

Today, the works of these artists hang in the greatest museums around the world. They stand as a testament to a time when Paris was a magnetic star for artists everywhere, a sanctuary of artistic freedom, and a cradle of modern art.