Braz Osip (Joseph) Emmanuilovich

Born in Odessa. He began learning to draw at the Odessa Drawing School with K.K. Kostandi; in 1890-94 continued his education in Munich. In 1895 he entered the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts, in the workshop of I. E. Repin. At the same time, he began to participate in exhibitions. In Repin’s studio, Braz became close to young painters who soon joined the art association “World of Art”, and subsequently became a regular participant in its exhibitions. Under the influence of the “World of Art” artists, the artist turned to graphics, studied lithography and etching, in particular, he painted portraits and landscapes. Braz's exquisite female portraits and the interiors he painted, which were distinguished by his free and elegant style of painting, were very popular. In 1914, Braz was elected academician of the Academy of Arts. The artist was an excellent art connoisseur and collector. In 1916, as a specialist, he was included in the commission for the restoration of paintings in the Hermitage, and in 1918 he was appointed curator of the museum. Since the late 1890s. he taught in his own workshop. In 1924, Braz was exiled to Novgorod, from where he returned in 1926. In 1928, he left for Germany. Subsequently he settled in Paris.