KOGAN, MOYSE

KOGAN, MOYSE (1879–1942), sculptor. Born in Bessarabia, he became a chemist, but went to Munich in 1903 to devote himself to art, although he had had no previous training. To maintain himself, he designed embroideries and other objects, and also created medallions. As a member of the New Artists' Association in Munich, he participated in the group's exhibitions in 1910 and 1911. In 1910 he moved to Paris where he received encouragement from Maillol, whose work greatly influenced him. In 1925 Kogan was elected vice president of the Salon d'Automne, an unusual honor for one who was not a Frenchman. When France was overrun by the Germans, he was arrested, deported, and killed. His best works are terracotta figurines and delicate heads, carved in limestone, marble, or wood. He was also a master of print in wood and linoleum cuts as well as lithographs. (Alfred Werner)