The Seidenbeutel brothers were Polish Jewish artists who were twins. Efraim Seidenbeutel and Menasze Seidenbeutel were born on December 7, 1907. They were killed in 1945, at the Flossenbürg concentration camp. They had two brothers who were also artists: Józef, the oldest, was a painter, and Hirsz, the youngest, was a sculptor.
Art The Seidenbeutels are considered "Interwar Artists" and painted in the Post-expressionism of École de Paris. They painted mostly landscapes and still life scenes. The twins had a unique way of working; one brother would start a painting and the other brother would finish it. They would sign the painting with just their surname. Even the works the twins created separately have an almost identical style.
Biography The Seidenbeutels were born in Warsaw. Their father, Abraham, was a textile trader, and their mother took care of the eight children. Efraim's and Menasze's six siblings included Józef, the oldest, who was also a painter and Hirsz, who was younger and was a sculptor.
Education The Seidenbeutels signed up for painting studies in 1921, at the Municipal School of Decorative Arts. In 1922, their sculpture titled “The Portrait of Anski” was shown at the 4th Exhibition of Paintings and Sculptures organized by the Jewish community. Thereafter, they became students at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, where they belonged to the elitist group "Four" set up by the Rector Tadeusz Pruszkowski. remembers that the twins enrolled in school as one student, paid one fee, and took turns attending classes.
The pre-war years The Seidenbeutels had their studio at the Jewish dorm on Sierakowskiego Street in the Warsaw district of Praga. Frequently, they would go on field trips to small villages and paint en plein air. One of the towns they visited frequently was Kazimierz Dolny. During the late 1920s and early 1930s, they would arrive for a 'season' carrying over 24 stretched canvases each, and complete them in 30–60 days. These canvases would be exhibited in Warsaw and Kraków and would sell out. They met with other artists and inspired younger ones, such as Chaim Goldberg. They met Goldberg when he was eight-years old and bought him en plein air gouache; it was Goldberg's first sale.
The Holocaust Years During World War II and the Nazi occupation, the Seidenbeutels were confined within the Białystok Ghetto where they worked at the House of Art in the army. They may have belonged to a group of painters, set up by Oskar Steffens, who copied reproductions of paintings by old masters. The twins were later sent to the Stutthof concentration camp, from which they were marched to the death camp in Flossenbürg. They were executed by the camp’s guards one day before the camp was liberated. Izaak Celnikier, also a painter, was a witness to their deaths.
Their unique bond The Seidenbeutels had a unique bond that intrigues experts to the present day. One brother would start a painting while the other completed it, and the signature was their surname. They signed their paintings this way even when completing a painting individually.
Their similar looks became the subject of jokes, the most popular of which is the following:
List of art works Works executed jointly Portret An-skiego (Portrait of An-ski) (1921), relief Widok z okna (Window view) (1930) oil on canvas, 88×76, in the harvest Muzeum Sztuki w ŁodziEfraim i Menasze Seidenbeutlowie 1902–1945... s. 57 Martwa natura z kwiatami (Still life with flowers) oil on a glass 69,5×60,8, in private collections Droga do wioski (Road to the village) (ok. 1938) Studium kobiety z kwiatami (Study of a woman with flowers) (ok. 1930) oil on plywood, 72,5×61, in the harvest Muzeum Narodowego w SzczecinieMałgorzata Witek-Czyńska. Efraim i Menasze Seidebeutlowie – dzieło wspólne. „Gazeta Antykwaryczna”. 70 (1), 2002. Bukiet kwiatów w wazonie (A bouquet of flowers in a vase) (ok. 1930), oil on canvas, 80,5×69,5, in private collections Wioska (The village) oil on canvas 64,8×79,5 Dziewczyna z gołąbkiem (The girl with a dove) oil on canvas, 73,2×59,7, in the collection of the Jewish Historical InstituteEfraim i Menasze Seidenbeutlowie 1902–1945... s. 70 Dziewczyna z koszem owoców (Girl with a basket of fruit)Efraim i Menasze Seidenbeutlowie 1902–1945... s. 26 Widok na farę w Kazimierzu (View of the parish church in Kazimierz) oil on plywood 47×33, in private collections Efraim i Menasze Seidenbeutlowie 1902–1945... s. 61 Mury Kazimierskie (Kazimierz Walls) oil on cardboard, 39×22, in private collections Martwa natura (Still life) (ok. 1930) oil on canvas, 80,5×71, in the collection of the National Museum in Warsaw Martwa natura (Still life) 70×49, in private collections Ulica Krakowska (Krakowska Street) Pejzaż z domami (Landscape with houses) Siostry (1935)Efraim i Menasze Seidenbeutlowie 1902–1945... s. 27 (Sisters) Młoda kobieta z kwiatami (Young woman with flowers)Efraim i Menasze Seidenbeutlowie 1902–1945... s. 24 ZamyślonaEfraim i Menasze Seidenbeutlowie 1902–1945... s. 25 (Pensive) Kobieta w szalu (The woman in the scarf) Dwie dziewczyny z owocami (Two girls with fruit) Dwie dziewczynki (Two girls) Postaci w pejzażu (Figures in the landscape) (ok. 1930), oil on canvasEfraim i Menasze Seidenbeutlowie 1902–1945... s. 90 Portret mężczyzny w okularach (Portrait of a man with glasses), oil on cardboard, 36,5×32,5, in private collectionsEfraim i Menasze Seidenbeutlowie 1902–1945... s. 65 Ulice miasta/ Widok miasta (City streets/ City view) (on the reverse), oil on board, 50×61, in private collectionsEfraim i Menasze Seidenbeutlowie 1902–1945... s. 84-85 Motyw z Helu (Theme from Hel) (ok. 1935), 60×71,5, oil on board, in the collection of the National Museum in WarsawEfraim i Menasze Seidenbeutlowie 1902–1945... s. 76 Przedmieście fabryczne (Factory suburb) (1937), oil on plywood, 61×70, in the collection of the District Museum in Bielsko-BiałaEfraim i Menasze Seidenbeutlowie 1902–1945... s. 87 Uliczka w Skoczowie (A street in Skoczów) Przydrożna topola (Roadside poplar) (ok. 1938), 64,5×89,6, in the collection of the Jewish Historical InstituteEfraim i Menasze Seidenbeutlowie 1902–1945... s. 83 Motyw ze Śląska Cieszyńskiego (Theme from Cieszyn Silesia) (1937), oil on canvas, 60×73,5, in the collection of the Jewish Historical InstituteEfraim i Menasze Seidenbeutlowie 1902–1945... s. 91 Widok z portu (View from the port) (ok. 1931), 42×45, oil on board, in private collectionsEfraim i Menasze Seidenbeutlowie 1902–1945... s. 78 Motyw z zagłębia naftowego (A theme from the oil basin) (1938) KoncertEfraim i Menasze Seidenbeutlowie 1902–1945... s. 28 (Concert) Zmrok (Nightfall) DzieciEfraim i Menasze Seidenbeutlowie 1902–1945... s. 29 Gołębiarz (Sniper) Rowerzyści (Bikers) (1934) Matka z dzieckiem (Mother with baby) Dziewczyna z gołębiem (The girl with the pigeon), oil on canvas, 80,5×65,8, in the collection of the Jewish Historical InstituteEfraim i Menasze Seidenbeutlowie 1902–1945... s. 66 Przedmieścia Krakowa (The suburbs of Kraków) (1934), oil on plywood, 61×75, in the collection of the Jewish Historical InstituteEfraim i Menasze Seidenbeutlowie 1902–1945... s. 69 Portret Moniki Żeromskiej (Portrait of Monika Żeromska) (1935) Martwa natura ze skrzypcami (Still life with a violin) Barka na Wiśle (Barge on the Vistula) (ok. 1930), in the collection of the Museum in Ein HarodCite error: The named reference psb was invoked but never defined Martwa natura z fajką (Still life with a pipe) (1930) Przy kuźni (At the forge) (1936) Przy pracy (During work) (1936) Ulica w miasteczku z dorożką i stołem przed domem/ Kobieta z owocami na paterze (A street in a town with a horse-drawn carriage and a table in front of the house/ Woman with fruit on a plate) (on the reverse)Efraim i Menasze Seidenbeutlowie 1902–1945... s. 92-93 Willa w ogrodzie (Villa in the garden) oil on plywood, 44×48, in the collection of the Museum of Art in ŁódźEfraim i Menasze Seidenbeutlowie 1902–1945... s. 80 Widok z tarasu (View from the terrace) (ok. 1935), 60×70, in private collections Żółte róże (Yellow roses) (1932) oil on canvas, 83×73, in the collection of the Museum of Art in Łódź Portret dziewczynki z kwiatami (Portrait of a girl with flowers) 87×62,5, in the collection of the National Museum in Warsaw link Martwa natura (na obrusie w kratę) (Still life (on the checkered tablecloth)), oil on canvas, 73×93, in the collection of the Jewish Historical InstituteEfraim i Menasze Seidenbeutlowie 1902–1945... s. 95 Miejska uliczka (City street) oil on canvas, 78×70, in private collectionsEfraim i Menasze Seidenbeutlowie 1902–1945... s. 81 Widok miasta (City view), oil on cardboard, 27×44,5, in private collections Pejzaż wiejski (Rural landscape) (ok. 1930) oil on canvas, 64,5×72, in the collection of the Jewish Historical InstituteEfraim i Menasze Seidenbeutlowie 1902–1945... s. 82 Pejzaż małomiasteczkowy z kościołem w tle (A provincial landscape with a church in the background) (ok. 1933-35), oil on plywood, 62×70, in the collection of the Jewish Historical InstituteEfraim i Menasze Seidenbeutlowie 1902–1945... s. 75 Martwa natura we wnętrzu (Still life in the interior) (ok. 1935-39), oil on canvas, 80×100, in private collections Jarmark (Fair), 25×35, watercolor, gouache, ink on paper, in the collection of the Rynek Sztuki Gallery in ŁódźEfraim i Menasze Seidenbeutlowie 1902–1945... s. 86
Works by Efraim Kulisy (Behind the scenes) Widok z okna (Window view) (before 1934), oil on canvas, 98.3 × 79.3, in the collection of the Jewish Historical InstituteEfraim i Menasze Seidenbeutlowie 1902–1945... s. 68 Martwa natura (Still life) (circa 1930), 80.5 × 71, in the collection of the National Museum in WarsawEfraim i Menasze Seidenbeutlowie 1902–1945... s. 56 Martwa natura z prymulką (Still life with a primula) (1934), oil on canvas, 70 × 49, in a private collectionEfraim i Menasze Seidenbeutlowie 1902–1945... s. 62 Chłopiec z lampą naftową (Boy with an oil lamp) Akt (Act) Chłopiec puszczający bańki mydlane (A boy blowing soap bubbles) Julka, in the collection of the State Hermitage Museum Gitarzysta (Guitarist) Chłopiec (Boy) Portret brata (Portrait of a brother) Port rybacki w Gdyni (Fishing port in Gdynia) Motyw Helu (Hel motif) Gladiole (Gladiolus) (1934) Studium chłopca (A boy study) (1933) Magda (1936) Kazimierz nad Wisłą (Kazimierz on the Vistula), in the collection of the Museum in Ein Harod Sprzedawczyni jabłek (Apple seller), in the collection of the Museum in Ein Harod Martwa natura z zieloną butelką (Still life with a green bottle) (circa 1940), oil on canvas, 57 × 71, in the collection of the Museum of the Academy of Fine Arts in WarsawEfraim i Menasze Seidenbeutlowie 1902–1945... s. 96
Works by Menasze Chłopiec z wędką (A boy with a fishing rod) 100 × 83.5, in the collection of the Jewish Historical InstituteEfraim i Menasze Seidenbeutlowie 1902–1945... s. 63 Portret mężczyzny w kapeluszu (Portrait of a man in a hat) oil on canvas, 58.5 × 46.2, in the collection of the Jewish Historical Institute Przystań (Harbor) (1931), 43 × 47, oil on plywood, in the collection of the Jewish Historical InstituteEfraim i Menasze Seidenbeutlowie 1902–1945... s. 79 Widok na Kazimierz nad Wisłą (View of Kazimierz on the Vistula River) (1930), oil on canvas, in the collection of the National Museum in WarsawEfraim i Menasze Seidenbeutlowie 1902–1945... s. 53 Widok na Kazimierz nad Wisłą (View of Kazimierz on the Vistula River), 72.6 × 65.5, oil on canvas, in the collection of the Jewish Historical InstituteEfraim i Menasze Seidenbeutlowie 1902–1945... s. 55 Widok na Kazimierz nad Wisłą (View of Kazimierz on the Vistula River), 72 × 77.2, oil on canvas, in the collection of the Jewish Historical InstituteEfraim i Menasze Seidenbeutlowie 1902–1945... s. 54