Joseph Rethlin

Self-taught painter, with multiple influences; but more particularly influenced by the work of Mané Katz whose Jewishness he shares.

A contemporary artist based in France, Rethlin has recently become active in the art market. A former collector and dealer, he turned to painting later in life.

His work is characterized by a predilection for still lifes, where he often depicts simple objects, fruits (particularly lemons), and fish. The presence of these two motifs, lemons and fish, seems to hold a significant place in his thematic palette. It reflects his taste for familiar and humble subjects that are visually expressive—everyday or natural elements that offer both visual material and a symbolic dimension.

Formally, Rethlin combines realistic representation (the shape of the fish, the texture of the lemons) with a simplification and stylization of the background, to focus the visual attention on the central subject.