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The 3 Most Famous Lea Nikel Paintings, Each One of a Kind
Updated November 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 4 works by Lea Nikel in our catalogue
In short
Painting (1969) is the Lea Nikel painting that draws the most eyes; the original belongs to the Israel Museum, Jerusalem. After it, the eye goes to Untitled (1969) and Painting (1982). Among the 4 works of Lea Nikel in our catalog, these 3 are the most famous, each a unique original presented with its year, its museum and the reason it endures.
1918 – 2005, Zhytomyr
Most works: Israel Museum
Top 10 paintings by Lea Nikel, through the gallery's eye
The museums that keep Lea Nikel's originals
The museum that holds the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by Lea Nikel | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 Israel Museum |
Jerusalem | 3 | Painting, Untitled, Painting |
Lea Nikel across the years: the unique originals of each
14 years separate Lea Nikel's first and last dated originals shown here, 1969 and 1982: each year has its place below.
Works per year
Pick a year to see its originals.
Lea Nikel's paintings: questions for the gallery
What is the single most famous work of Lea Nikel?Reveal the answer
Painting (1969), Israel Museum, Jerusalem. Untitled (1969) and Painting (1982) come next.
At what age did Lea Nikel create Painting?Reveal the answer
51 years old: Painting dates from 1969, and Lea Nikel was born in 1918.
How many works by Lea Nikel are known?Reveal the answer
Our catalog holds 4 works by Lea Nikel, dated from 1969 to 1982.
Where can the most famous Lea Nikel originals be seen?Reveal the answer
Mostly in Israel Museum (Jerusalem). The museum table above lists them all.
During which period did Lea Nikel create the best-known paintings?Reveal the answer
In 1969: 2 of the 3 works on this page were made then, Painting among them.
Which famous Lea Nikel painting is the earliest, and which the latest?Reveal the answer
On this page, the earliest is Painting (1969) and the latest Painting (1982).
What Lea Nikel originals can I see at the Israel Museum?Reveal the answer
Painting, Untitled and Painting: the Israel Museum, Jerusalem holds 3 of the works on this page.
Lea Nikel: a portrait of the artist
A Life of Color and Movement
Zhitomir, Ukraine, 1918. A child is born into a family that will soon move to Mandatory Palestine in 1920. This early displacement marks the beginning of a life defined by shifting borders and evolving perspectives. By 1935, the young Lea Nikelsberg sits in a Tel Aviv studio, absorbing the lessons of Chaim Gliksberg. The foundations of her visual language are being laid through rigorous study, later refined under the guidance of Yechezkel Streichman and Avigdor Stematsky.
The trajectory shifts toward Europe. Paris becomes a central stage between 1950 and 1961. Here, the influence of Tachisme—an abstraction stripped of all recognizable objects—takes hold. The brushwork begins to change. It becomes more brusque, more generous. The compositions start to pulse with high-keyed colors and rough-edged blocks that suggest a sense of urgent sensuousness. She is no longer merely observing; she is reacting.
The Peripatetic Years
From 1961 to 1977, the map of her life expands across continents. There is a year in Greenwich Village, three years in Rome, and four years in New York, specifically within the walls of the Chelsea Hotel. This period of movement mirrors the energy on her canvases. The lines become scribbly and calligraphic. They move with an imaginative excitement that defies static boundaries.
Her technique evolves into a form of expressionistic abstraction, often identified as lyrical abstraction. She experiments with diverse methods to capture motion:
The work remains buoyant even as her personal geography settles back into Israel in 1977. She continues to paint with a vitality that persists until the very end of her life in 2005.
Recognition and Legacy
The art world responds to this intense vision with significant honors. The accolades arrive in waves, marking her status within the Israeli and international art communities. In 1972, the Israel Museum awards her the Sandberg Prize for Israeli Art. This is followed by the Dizengoff Prize for Painting in 1982.
Her reach extends to major institutions and global stages:
- The Venice Biennale in 1964
- A retrospective at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art in 1995
- The Israel Prize for painting in 1995
- Chevalier of Arts and Letters from the French Minister of Culture in 1997
Even as she establishes a foundation to support children with autism and cancer at Sheba Hospital, her presence in the gallery remains strong. In 2023, her work is featured in the Whitechapel Gallery exhibition in London, proving that the energy of her calligraphic lines continues to resonate long after her final brushstroke.