Serge Poliakoff was born in Moscow, Russia, in 1900 and is regarded as one of the leading figures of abstract painting and the École de Paris. As one of the foremost artists of post-war European modernism, he developed a distinctive visual language based on harmonious fields of color and carefully balanced compositions.
Following the Russian Revolution, Poliakoff left his homeland and, after periods in Constantinople, Belgrade, and London, eventually settled in Paris. There he studied at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière and the Académie Frochot. Encounters with the work of Wassily Kandinsky, Sonia and Robert Delaunay, and Otto Freundlich had a lasting influence on his artistic development.
During the 1940s, Poliakoff established his characteristic abstract style. His compositions consist of interlocking organic color fields without representational imagery. Through the subtle interplay of form, color, and light, he created works of remarkable harmony, depth, and visual balance.
Alongside painting, Poliakoff produced an important body of graphic works, including lithographs, etchings, and works on paper. His prints reflect the same refined language of color and form that made his paintings internationally renowned.
Serge Poliakoff is considered one of the most important representatives of European lyrical abstraction. His works are represented in major museums and significant public and private collections around the world.