Videos

The film Leo Marchutz and Lithography shows how this unique artist mastered the intricate technique of lithography and created, in the process, some of the finest examples of his art. At the same time, it relates Marchutz’s inspiring story of self-discovery as an artist in the face of his great suffering and difficult survival during the Holocaust.

For almost two decades, lithography was Marchutz’s sole means of artistic expression. Over that period, he created more than 700 unique lithographic editions. All were hand pulled on his manual lithographic press at Châteaunoir and in the studio built for him on the Route du Tholonet by his benefactor, French architect Fernand Pouillon. The lithographs represent the core and largest body of his work. They also reflect his many innovations with regard to printmaking practice, which he lifted to a very high artistic level.

The film, written and directed by filmmaker James Ruffato, is based on exclusive interviews with Antony Marschutz, son of the artist, Denis Coutagne, French Art Historian and Founding President of the Cezanne Research Center, Ben Haggard, Director of Research of the Marchutz Catalogue Raisonné, François de Asis, painter and longtime friend of the artist, Samuel Bjorklund, painter, lithographer and apprentice of Leo Marchutz, and Jill Steenhuis, painter and lithographer.

Leo Marchutz and Lithography is intended to be one section of a full-length documentary to be completed within the next two years.