Charles Radoff
Encyclopedia
Xavier Basil Radoff - Russian painter
.
Xavier Basil Radoff (Charles Radoff) was born on March 15, 1894 in Izmail
, Bessarabia
, Russia
(present-day Ukraine
). Born to Basil Radoff and Marta Eudokia-Radoff. He was the second son and had three sisters. His family was poor and all the family finances went toward the eldest son’s education. His father died when he was very young. His mother remarried but he was never close with his stepfather.
The area he grew up in was diverse in its peoples and cultures. Radoff attained a second grade education only. He then had to start working to help support the family. He was raised in the Russian Orthodox Church
. At an early age, he witnessed his mother from time to time hiding Jewish families in their cellar to save them from relocation by soldiers.
At the age of 18, Radoff emigrated to the United States arriving at Ellis Island December 5, 1912. The government workers at Ellis Island
gave him the anglsied name “Charles” which he used the rest of his life.
Radoff lived in New York City working any job he could find. He eventually found employment at a posh club for the rich as a member of the wait staff. Here he was taught tennis and learned to play rather well. He would sketch in pencil some of the sights in New York. These drawings are lost.
Radoff served in the United States Army Cavalry during World War I
. The U.S. Army Air Service#Air Service of the AEF became aware of Radoff’s skills as an artist. His duties included serving as an aerial observer
with the Air Corps. While airborne, he would hand draw maps of enemy positions for use in planning by the command staff.
Radoff loved France and would revisit in 1921 where he met and later married Camille Alice Richard. The couple stayed in France as shop owners until 1932. The Radoff’s emigrated to the United States for fear of increasing tensions in Europe. They toured the entire US eventually settling in Los Angeles. Their only child, Vivian Renee Radoff, was born in Los Angeles in 1933.
Radoff continually dabbled with sketching over the years. He didn’t take it up as a vocation until the late 1950s. He was living in Southern California and opened an Art Gallery in the San Fernando Valley. He had galleries in Van Nuys
, Corona del Mar and Reseda
. He would show his work at the Festival of Arts in Laguna Beach in the mid-1960s.
Radoff mostly painted seascapes and florals. He tried some neo-impressionist styles also.
He was an admirer of Marc Chagall
’s work.
Radoff continued to paint until he had a stroke in 1985. He died a year later in 1986.
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
.
Xavier Basil Radoff (Charles Radoff) was born on March 15, 1894 in Izmail
Izmail
Izmail is a historic town near the Danube river in the Odessa Oblast of south-western Ukraine. Serving as the administrative center of the Izmail Raion , the city itself is also designated as a separate raion within the oblast....
, Bessarabia
Bessarabia
Bessarabia is a historical term for the geographic region in Eastern Europe bounded by the Dniester River on the east and the Prut River on the west....
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
(present-day Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
). Born to Basil Radoff and Marta Eudokia-Radoff. He was the second son and had three sisters. His family was poor and all the family finances went toward the eldest son’s education. His father died when he was very young. His mother remarried but he was never close with his stepfather.
The area he grew up in was diverse in its peoples and cultures. Radoff attained a second grade education only. He then had to start working to help support the family. He was raised in the Russian Orthodox Church
Russian Orthodox Church
The Russian Orthodox Church or, alternatively, the Moscow Patriarchate The ROC is often said to be the largest of the Eastern Orthodox churches in the world; including all the autocephalous churches under its umbrella, its adherents number over 150 million worldwide—about half of the 300 million...
. At an early age, he witnessed his mother from time to time hiding Jewish families in their cellar to save them from relocation by soldiers.
At the age of 18, Radoff emigrated to the United States arriving at Ellis Island December 5, 1912. The government workers at Ellis Island
Ellis Island
Ellis Island in New York Harbor was the gateway for millions of immigrants to the United States. It was the nation's busiest immigrant inspection station from 1892 until 1954. The island was greatly expanded with landfill between 1892 and 1934. Before that, the much smaller original island was the...
gave him the anglsied name “Charles” which he used the rest of his life.
Radoff lived in New York City working any job he could find. He eventually found employment at a posh club for the rich as a member of the wait staff. Here he was taught tennis and learned to play rather well. He would sketch in pencil some of the sights in New York. These drawings are lost.
Radoff served in the United States Army Cavalry during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. The U.S. Army Air Service#Air Service of the AEF became aware of Radoff’s skills as an artist. His duties included serving as an aerial observer
Aerial observer
Aerial Observer- Air Force Reconnaissance.An Aerial Observer is the functional position of gathering information visually from an airborne platform for use by military or commercial purposes. This history started when the first balloons were flown in Europe...
with the Air Corps. While airborne, he would hand draw maps of enemy positions for use in planning by the command staff.
Radoff loved France and would revisit in 1921 where he met and later married Camille Alice Richard. The couple stayed in France as shop owners until 1932. The Radoff’s emigrated to the United States for fear of increasing tensions in Europe. They toured the entire US eventually settling in Los Angeles. Their only child, Vivian Renee Radoff, was born in Los Angeles in 1933.
Radoff continually dabbled with sketching over the years. He didn’t take it up as a vocation until the late 1950s. He was living in Southern California and opened an Art Gallery in the San Fernando Valley. He had galleries in Van Nuys
Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California
Van Nuys is a neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, California.-History:Look at the two photos of Van Nuys' first year—and then listen to what the Los Angeles Times wrote on February 23, 1911, the day after the Van Nuys town lot auction--"Between dawn and dusk, in the...
, Corona del Mar and Reseda
Reseda, Los Angeles, California
Reseda is a San Fernando Valley district in the city of Los Angeles, California.-History:The area now known as Reseda was originally inhabited by Native Americans of the Tongva tribe that lived close to the Los Angeles River....
. He would show his work at the Festival of Arts in Laguna Beach in the mid-1960s.
Radoff mostly painted seascapes and florals. He tried some neo-impressionist styles also.
He was an admirer of Marc Chagall
Marc Chagall
Marc Chagall Art critic Robert Hughes referred to Chagall as "the quintessential Jewish artist of the twentieth century."According to art historian Michael J...
’s work.
Radoff continued to paint until he had a stroke in 1985. He died a year later in 1986.