Mark Gertler (1891–1939)

Mark Gertler (1891–1939). Born on December 9, 1891, in Spitalfields (London) into a family of Jewish immigrants from Austria‑Hungary (now part of Poland). At birth, he was named Marx, but in 1896, when the family finally returned to London, the name was anglicized. In the early 1920s, the artist was diagnosed with tuberculosis. On June 23, 1939, Gertler took his own life by poisoning himself with gas in his studio in Highgate. A whole series of difficult circumstances pushed him to do so. Gertler worked in various genres: he painted portraits, landscapes, and still lifes. His early works show an interest in secular portraits, but his temperamental nature and стремление to follow his own vision sometimes alienated his clients. In his later works, the style became more abrupt — largely due to his deteriorating health.