Born in 1889, Samuel Granowsky attended the Academy of Fine Arts in Odessa and pursued his studies in Munich and in Paris. In 1908 he settled in the Montparnasse district where he started posing as a model at the Académie de la Grande Chaumiere and worked as a cleaner at the café La Rotonde. Together with his female companion Aicha, the famous mixed-race model of Montparnasse, Granowsky became an emblematic figure of the time, nicknamed "the cowboy of Montparnasse." This was because he was known for his eccentric behaviour and for strolling the streets wearing a bright-coloured shirt and a Texan hat, which was part of his attire as an extra on a movie set. His artworks were focused on scenes of Parisian life as well as traditional Russian figures, fairs, and musicians. He also painted portraits, nudes, and wildlife paintings. He was renowned for the eclectic character of his art: mural frescos, paintings on furniture, screens, and sculptures. During the war, Sam Granowsky stayed in Paris but was arrested by the French police during the Vel d'Hiv roundup. He was interned in Drancy and killed in Auschwitz.