A Levantine Painter In Istanbul: Lazar Binenbaum

Abstract

Lazar Binenbaum, who took part in the political and cultural changes of Istanbul in the late Ottoman Empire, World War I and the Republican era, was a master painter and his paintings had a significant place in art history. Lazar had painting education at the Munich Academy of Art, and by making Ludwig van Beethoven's portrait, he became a famous painter in the art world. In the dangerous environment of World War I, he settled in Istanbul and lived there until his death. Unfortunately, there is not any vast information about the painter and his works, no academic study have been made about him yet. In this essay, I will provide comprehensive information about Lazar Binenbaum's life and his works by analysing his unpublished personal documents.