Chaim-Iche Solomonovich Sutin, born to a peasant family in the Minsk Governorate of the Russian Empire, moved to France, where he met my Great, Great Uncle, Pierre Balmain of the House of Balmain. Pierre shared with Chaim that his niece, born a red head, would be denied the color red.

Monsieur (Sutin) Soutine was greatly affected at such a thought so he made a promise that he would not deny her the color red.
Prior to his death he asked Pierre to acquire an artist of future thinking to prepare a painting that would be of the style, techniques and materials within the niece’s future. Such talent he found decades later, which brought forth a painting using current techniques, materials and tools that were unavailable during Soutine’s life.

The artist, fully aware of the niece’s current lifestyle and the legacy, produced a painting using current oil colours, silicone scrapers, brushes and cold wax in a style similar to Soutine’s.


The role of the pastry chef has been diminished by innovative technology and the popularity of the outdoor kitchen. The niece’s husband is a Cuisinier en Plein Air, wears red to her pleasure.

The wearing of RED remains unworn and very seldom painted as her uncomfortable relationship to red remains long after the red hair turned to white.

22 Million in 2013

Chaim Soutine

1921

Abstract Expression was the focus in art/painting studies at Victoria College of Art. When introduced to Soutine, I was drawn to The Pastry Chef paintings, in particular the painting with the red background. I teach the making and painting of Floorcloths, and this painting has been on my list to copy and turn into a large floorcloth for kitchen in summer residence

Oil and Clod Wax on canvas