Judy Cassab (15 August 1920 – 3 November 2015), born Judit Kaszab, was an Australian painter.

Early years

Judy Cassab was born in Vienna, on 15 August 1920 to Jewish Hungarian parents. She began painting at twelve years old and began studying at the Academy of Art in Prague in 1938 but was forced to flee the German occupation in 1939. Cassab worked in a factory under an assumed name and put her artistic skills to use after hours forging papers and passports. Her husband, Jancsi Kampfner, was put in a forced labour camp by the Nazis in World War II, and returned to Hungary in 1944. Cassab, her husband and two sons emigrated to Australia in 1951 and settled in Sydney. Cassab became an Australian citizen in 1957.

Career

Cassab was the first woman to win the Archibald Prize twice: She held more than fifty solo exhibitions in Australia, as well as others in Paris and London. After Cassab's work was acquired by the National Gallery, she was interviewed by James Gleeson about how she captured people's character in their portraits. This interview later formed part of the James Gleeson Oral History Collection.

Solo exhibitions

Awards and distinctions

On 14 June 1969 Cassab was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in "recognition of service to the visual arts". On 26 January 1988 Cassab was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) again in "recognition of service to the visual arts". On 3 March 1995 Cassab was awarded a Doctor of Letters (honoris causa) from the University of Sydney. In 2011 Cassab was awarded Hungary’s Gold Cross of Merit.

Personal life

Cassab died on 3 November 2015 at the age of 95 in her nursing home in the Sydney suburb of Randwick.