Born Hyman Aron Stelmach in a small, predominantly Jewish village situated in the southwestern region of the former Russian Empire, Ary Stillman (1891-1967) was a key figure in the development of twentieth-century modern art. Having abandoned the papular, impressionist technique of his early career, Stillman attracted great critical acclaim during the mid-twentieth century as a member of the New York School and the avant-garde wing of the Federation of Modern Painters and Sculptors, exhibiting regularly and receiving favorable attention in the press. A period in Mexico in the late 1950s and early 1960s saw the artist produce some of his strongest works. Yet despite his many accomplishments, Stillman remains relatively unknown, and, until recently,his contribution to modern art had been largely overlooked.