Dora Holzhandler (1928 - 2015)

Dora was born in Paris in 1928 she is acclaimed in Britain and overseas for her enchanting, richly decorative paintings of everyday, often specifically Jewish, life. Rooted in a mystical perception of reality, her pictures are non-academic in perspective and depict the timeless Jewish world, her own childhood in Paris and London, and more general celebrations of humanity: lovers embracing, motherhood, religious contemplation.

Sparkling with innocent humour, her paintings draw no distinction between the sacred and mundane and are renowned for intricately detailed patterns – typically squares and floral motifs – which are reminiscent of Polish folk-art, Persian miniatures and Byzantine mosaics.