1912-1992

Johnny Friedlaender was born in 1912 in Prussian Silesia. Friedlaender’s early studies were in Breslau under Otto Mueller. Then, in 1936 Friedlaender journeyed to Czechoslovakia, Switzerland, Austria, France and Belgium.  At the Hague he held a successful exhibition of etchings and watercolours.  He fled to Paris in 1937 as a political refugee of the Nazi regime with his young wife, who was an actress.  In that year he held an exhibition of his etchings which included the works: L ‘Equipe and Matieres et Formes.  From 1939 to 1943 he was interned in a series of concentration camps, but survived against poor odds.

After gaining freedom in 1944 Friedlaender began a series of twelve etchings entitledImages du Malheur.  In the same year he received a commission to illustrate four books by Freres Tharaud of the French Academy. In 1945 he performed work for several newspapers including Cavalcade and Carrefour. 

From his atelier in Paris Friedlaender instructed younger artists who themselves went on to become noteworthy, among them Arthur Luiz Piza, Brigitte Coudrain, Rene Carcan, and Graciela Rodo Boulanger.  Like Friedlaender, these students were expert in the lithographic* and etching arts.