“Way of Seeing and Being Seen”: Norman Raeben in Paris

To truly understand the paintings of Norman Raeben (Numa Rabinowitz) from the 1920s to 1930s, we must look at the state of the avant-garde in Paris at the time of his arrival in 1925, as well as the lingering spirit of both inertia and rebirth in that period. Raeben was twenty-four years old, newly married, and determined to be a painter. During his childhood, he had traveled between Europe and America several times, accompanying his father on literary tours. He settled in New York at the age of fourteen, studying at the Educational Alliance Art School, the National Academy of Design, and the Art Students League, where healso exhibited his work in group shows tied to these institutions. When The Macon News, an American newspaper, announced his departure for France on February 4th, 1925.