Capturing Hollywood's Golden Age.
Eddie Vitch (b.1903-1986) was an enigmatic artist whose extraordinary life was marked by the absurd. Well known for his 1930s caricatures of Hollywood celebrities, for the Polish-born Vitch, his art was only one chapter in his storied life. From a career as a mime and success with the Parisian Cabaret (pictured below), Vitch performed during the Nazi occupation of France, remaining undetected as a Jewish Man during World War II. With a suite of works centralised around celebrities, there is no artist better positioned to represent the theatrical glamour of this era.
Working for the famed Brown Derby Restaurant in Hollywood, Vitch captured the likenesses of iconic Hollywood Golden Age stars, such as Marlene Dietrich, Bob Hope and Joan Crawford. In his signature caricature style, Vitch playfully exaggerates his subject’s facial features. With a few simple strokes, these actors are transformed, instantly becoming visual manifestations of their celebrity.
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 Eddie Vitch - 'Douglas Fairbanks' |
How do you read a face? More than crafting portraits, Vitch imbeds within his works hints to the identities of his subjects. Vitch’s line-making is imbued with hidden messages - the curve of a chin becoming a ‘J’, an eye doubling as an ‘P’. Some symbols are camouflaged, where others lie in plain sight, inviting the viewer to lean in and look closer.
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 Eddie Vitch - 'Franklin D. Roosevelt' |
As a famed performer in the Parisian cabaret, Vitch’s depictions of Hollywood’s leading ladies often convey a sense of admiration. With softer mark-making, delicate details, and perfectly sculpted red lips, these portraits are sensual - visual odes to the extraordinary talent of these chanteuses.
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 Eddie Vitch - 'Franklin D. Roosevelt' |
After moving to Australia in the 1960s, little is known about Vitch’s later life. The subject of a 2017 documentary, his story and his iconic celebrity caricatures continues to leave audiences enthralled. Vitch’s legacy is his final and most spectacular performance.
The meeting place of Hollywood Golden Age celebrities, the Brown Derby Restaurant quickly cemented its place as an iconic Los Angeles institution. Pictured here is dining Hollywood businessmen, surrounded by a curation of caricature portraits which adorned the walls of the restaurant.
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