From 1926 to 1930 he was fascinated by the peasants of the country side whom he likened to 15th century medieval portraits of the masters. Over the next four years he painted a series of peasant portraits now in various museum collections. During the 1930s his work first appeared by invitation in fine art exhibits and museums in the United States, where Studio Magazine (Contemporary... Masters," April 1934) found his paintings "a striking example... reminiscent of Leonardo da Vinci."
From 1926 to 1930 he was deeply interested in rural people, drawing comparisons between them and medieval portraits of artists from the 15th century. He then spent four years painting a collection of peasant portrait artworks now held in museums around the world. In the 1930s, his work began to gain attention through exhibitions in the United States, where Studio Magazine noted that his paintings were "a notable example" that evoked the style of Leonardo da Vinci.