José Gurvich — a Lithuanian Jew who emigrated to Montevideo in 1931 — combines his heritage with South American Constructivist imagery and symbolism. He was a student of Joaquín Torres-García, and a peer of the sculptor Gonzalo Fonseca, but Gurvich slowly departed from the grid that informed Torres-García’s Constructivism into a style that included curves, manifesting an influence of Marc Chagall. He then went on to explore Jewish themes more deeply, moving to Israel in the 1950s, where he started painting more pastoral and folkloric themes. He was very proud of his heritage and his development is a testimony of the inclusive nature of Escuela del Sur, Uruguayan society, and his faith.