The founder of the topic of refugees and gunmen in the Latvian art.
At the age of 15 years his drawings printed in the German magazine "Die Jugend".
In 1909 he graduated from the Riga city (classical) gymnasium. In the school year Ya Grosvald learned from J. Rozentals, was familiar with the schedule of R. Zarins.
1909 – ' 10 he spent in Munich, where to learn Hungarian artist S. holloshi.
In 1910 the artist went to Paris where, with interruptions (1911 – 12 was on military service in Lithuania) remained until 1914. Ya Grosveld studied at several private art schools (the painters E. Anglada, S. guérin, K. van Dongen, etc.).
From Paris he travelled to Italy, southern France and Spain, getting to know these countries, their art, also drawing and painting.
In 1914, the artist returned to Riga.
In the autumn of 1915 and spring of 1916 J. Groswald stayed in Petersburg, took part in both exhibitions of Latvian artists in Russia (1915, Petrograd, 1916, Moscow).
In 1916 he was drafted into the army, at the end of the year he was transferred to Military control of Petrograd.
In 1917, the artist was on a business trip in France and because of his military status could not come back and got a job in the body of the expeditions of the British army that in 1918 was sent to the middle East. Impressions of this trip Ya Groswald has invested in about 200 drawings, gouaches and watercolors of Eastern cycle. In 1919 he began working in the Latvian Embassy in Paris.
Literature:
1) J. Grosvalds Persijas ainas. – Stokholma, 1978.
2) Mksla un arhitektūra biogrāfijās. Atb. red. A. Vilsons – Riga, 1995 – 1. sēj.
3) J. Siliņš, Latvijas māksla 1915 – 1940. – Stokholma, 1988 – 1. sēj.
