Born: 1918 Bethel, South Africa
Died: 1998 London, England
Year of Migration to the UK: 1961
Biography
Artist Frank Rosen was born in Bethel, South Africa, in 1918, to Dora and Harry Rosen, Jewish immigrants from the city of Rogachev (now in Belarus) Aged 21, while serving as a commander in the South African Tank Corps during the Second World War, Rosen’s artistic inclinations began to crystallise during his deployments across East Africa, Abyssinia, Egypt, and Italy, particularly after seeing the Vatican’s art collection, as well as masterpieces by Michelangelo, Raphael, and Leonardo da Vinci, towards the end of the war. Between 1955 and 1957, Rosen lived in the UK and studied etching and design at the Central School of Arts and Crafts, London (now Central Saint Martins, UAL). He then briefly returned to South Africa and partnered with Johannesburg-based Dutch engineer, W E Schellorn, to create a new generation, electrically powered etching press. This nearly two-tonne press was later shipped to his London studio in the early 1960s. After permanently relocating to London in 1961 with his wife, Selma, and daughter, Lynndy, Rosen shifted his artistic focus from graphic art to oil painting.
Rosen’s artistic practice was characterised by an evolving mixed-media approach, defying easy categorisation. While initially producing large-scale abstract expressionist compositions, in line with prevailing European trends, his romantic and literary sensibilities soon led him to embrace elements of fantasy and decorative imagery derived from nature, realised through a mélange of pen drawing, colour etching, oil, aquatint, and later, acrylics. Rosen’s fascination with Chinese and Japanese art, particularly its mastery of line and form, led him to undertake extensive experimentation with Japanese paper to refine his etching technique. This appreciation for delicate form and movement was further nurtured by his frequently attending Royal Ballet performances during their tour of South Africa, culminating in the creation of both his Ballet Series and, later, his Omar Khayyam series. His eclectic influences ranged from Impressionism and Paul Klee to the Romantic English landscapes of Turner and Constable, Japanese woodblock prints of Katsushika Hokusai, Art Nouveau illustrations of Aubrey Beardsley, and even the technical manuals of Andrew Loomis. This eclecticism further extended to pen draughtsmen of the early 20th century, English watercolours, stained glass, and the architectural forms of Gothic cathedrals. Rosen's oeuvre included a ‘Gothic phase,’ where the influence of illuminated manuscripts, cathedral architecture, and medieval costumes is palpable, often showing a sense of mystery and the grotesque, reminiscent of 12th-16th century European art and literature. This idiosyncratic synthesis of diverse influences resulted in a body of work rich in both technical innovation and imaginative expression. Rosen’s approach was also influenced by actively studying museum collections around the world.
Rosen exhibited regularly throughout his career. Early recognition came in 1958 and 1959, when his work was included in two consecutive Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibitions in London. In this period, the art dealer Albert Duveen also become interested in his art. In 1961, Rosen’s work featured in the São Paulo Biennale in Brazil, marking his growing international profile. In 1962 he exhibited in group shows at both the Redfern Gallery and Leicester Galleries in London. Throughout the 1960s, he demonstrated a philanthropic inclination by donating designs for Christmas cards to the South African charity ‘Santa,’ selling over 300,000 cards. His exploration of monochrome aesthetics was evident in his 1966 exhibition of black and white pen and ink drawings at the Pieter Wenning Gallery in Johannesburg. Rosen also experimented with pushing the boundaries of traditional mediums. His pioneering foray into multimedia exhibitions began in the late 1970s with The Romantic Revival, a 35-year retrospective spanning his diverse oeuvre. Inaugurated at the California Museum of Science and Industry in Los Angeles in 1979, the exhibition toured various Californian museums throughout the 1980s. Following a suggestion by the museum’s director, William McCann, Rosen further expanded his repertoire with a series titled American Theme, comprising black and white drawings, first exhibited at UCLA’s College of Letters and Science Honors Commons in 1986. In 1995, following a creative hiatus after the death of his wife, he created a series of monumental canvases inspired by the ancient fortress of Masada, in Israel, serving as a reflection on history and resilience. In addition to his art practice, Rosen was also a Chartered Accountant. Frank Rosen died in London, England in 1998. In the UK public domain his work is held in the Ben Uri Collection and the collection of Glasgow Museums.
Related books
- Lynndy Levin, Irving Stone and Frank Rosen, Frank Rosen (Frank Rosen Art: London, 2019)
- 'Ten Jewish Artists', Peter Stone, Jewish Chronicle, 7 December 1962, p. 39
Related organisations
- Central School of Arts and Crafts (Central Saint Martins) (student )
Related web links
Selected exhibitions
- Romantic Revival (solo exhibition), City Hall, San Bernadino, California (1983)
- Romantic Revival (solo exhibition), Desert Museum, Palm Springs, California (1982)
- The Romantic Revival (solo exhibition), California Museum of Science and Industry, Los Angeles, California (1979)
- 'The Israel Suite and recent Paintings', John Whibley Gallery, London (1973)
- Frank Rosen (solo exhibition), Pieter Wenning Gallery, Johannesburg (1966)
- Summer exhibition (group show), Redfern Gallery, London (1962)
- Artists of Fame and Promise (group show), Leicester Gallery, London (1962)
- '10 Jewish Artists', Qantas Gallery, London (1962)
- Biennale (group show), São Paulo (1961)
- Royal Academy Summer Exhibition (group show), Royal Academy of Arts, London (1958 and 1959)
- American Theme, UCLA’s College of Letters and Science Honors Commons, Los Angeles, California (1986)
Ben Uri archive
Consult items in the Ben Uri archive related to [Frank Rosen]
Ben Uri library
Publications related to [Frank Rosen] in the Ben Uri Library