Józef Hecht

Józef Hecht (* December 14, 1891, in Łódź, Poland; † June 19, 1951, in Paris) was a Polish painter and printmaker renowned for his expertise in classical engraving techniques. After his education in Poland, he moved to Paris in 1920, where he became a key figure in the printmaking world, co-founding Atelier 17 and profoundly influencing 20th-century printmakers.

Born in Łódź, Hecht studied at the Kraków Academy of Fine Arts from 1909 to 1914. After completing his studies, he toured European museums. When World War I broke out, he was in Berlin. Thanks to his education in the Austrian-controlled part of Poland and awards from the Académie des Beaux-Arts, Hecht was allowed to move to neutral Norway, where he lived from 1914 to 1919.

After the war, Hecht traveled to Italy and then settled in Paris in 1920. He became a member of the Salon d’Automne, which introduced him to the Parisian art scene and provided him with regular exhibition opportunities. In his Paris studio, Hecht taught burin engraving to numerous artists, including British surrealist Stanley William Hayter and South African-born British painter Dolf Rieser.

1926 was a pivotal year for Hecht. He released his first suite of prints, L’Arche de Noé, with a preface by symbolist writer Gustave Kahn. These works were exhibited at Le nouvel essor gallery and received critical acclaim. In 1928, Hecht collaborated with André Suarès on the folio Atlas, which marked a significant evolution in his technique of recombining studied forms.

In 1927, Hecht inspired Hayter to establish Atelier 17, a cooperative printmaking studio that remains active today as Atelier Contrepoint. This studio influenced luminaries such as Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall, and Alberto Giacometti.

In 1929, Hecht co-founded La Jeune Gravure Contemporaine, a group dedicated to annual exhibitions that kept the spirit of printmaking alive. He also interacted with members of Les Peintres-Graveurs Indépendants, blending avant-garde and traditional techniques in his work.

Between 1926 and 1938, Hecht’s engravings were widely published and exhibited, earning critical praise. He won two gold medals at the 1937 Paris World’s Fair.

Of Jewish descent, Hecht fled Paris before World War II and worked as a farm laborer in the Savoy region.

After the war, Hecht returned to Paris. Hayter, who had relocated Atelier 17 to New York during the war, encouraged Hecht to resume engraving. Together, they created La Noyée, which reignited Hecht’s creative spirit. He began producing new works and experimenting with relief printing techniques.

Józef Hecht died of a heart attack in his Paris studio on June 19, 1951.