Friday, April 4, 1947
THE JEWISH NEWS
Page Eight
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Highlig ht s
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in
Jewish Art
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By MAXINE R. LEVIN
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-w. ITH the approach of the Passover holiday, with which so much Jewish
art is associated, perhaps it is a good time to look at our art . . . our
historical art and our modern art, which, to a great extent, receives
its impetus from our great historical heritage and tradition.
Jews have excelled in the arts and..crafts from Biblical times to the
present. The idea of construct-
ing and decorating the synagogue
as a meeting place, and not as a
palatial dwelling house of a God
or idol, completely influenced the
architecture
of the Christian
church. Since the decoration of
the synagogue was spiritual and
not representational, it followed
that early Christian art became
INTERIOR OF THE SYNAGOGUE OF TOLEDO, SPAIN: This is a magnificent
example of direct and powerful design in construction. The richly decorated capitols
of the octagonal columns are beautifully contrasted with the round arches. Again
fruit and leaves form a symmetrical pattern, and purity and symmetry of line is present.
less realistic.
Decorations for the synagogue
produced wonderful goldsmiths
and metal workers and skilled
c r a f tsm en; and subsequently
Jewish metal workers were high-
ly prized in Spain and Elizabethan
England. In Germany there were
famous Jewish book binders and
exquisite gold inlaid glass was
produced by Jews in Alexandria.
Also, altar paintings were painted
by professing and non-professing
Jews for the church in Spain.
There seems to be no particular
Jewish style, just good Jewish
artists. In whatever medium they worked, Jews always
have contributed to the art culture of their countries.
•
Reproduced here is the interior of the Synagogue of
Toledo, Spain, converted into the Church of Santa Maria
La Blanca, and is an example of pure geometric form
and rhythmic design in early architecture.
Jews bate been unusually prominent in architecture.
Dankmar Adler, educated at the University of Michi-
gan (and son of Liebman Adler, rabbi of Temple Betb
El from 1854 to 1861) was one of the pioneers in accou-
stics and America's first functional architect. Frank
Lloyd Wright, who served an apprenticeship under
Adler, gives him important recognition: - :-
Albert Kahn of Detroit revolutionized industrial
architecture, and those of us who knew him loved him
for the truly great man be was.
"INVOCATION," BY
MAX WEBER: A sen-
sitive and melancholic
portrayal of three Jews
praying and arguing.
T h e composition is
monumental in quality
and is one of Weber's
many well known paint-
ings of =religious sub-
jects.
Eric Mendelsohn of Germany, now living in the United
States, is amofirffie foremost men in modern architec-
ture and has erected magnificent buildings both' in Ger-
many and in Palestine. Morris B. Sanders
of New York City is one of America's
leading designers, an expert in the field of
plastics and a leader in the field of func-
tional furniture design.
•
In the realm of painting we can men-
tion many famous names. Joseph Israels,
Netherlands, first to paint in open air,
depicted ordinary humble people and
Jewish subjects. Rosa Bonheur (fondly
called Rose Mazel Tov by her friends) was
one of the few famous women painters and
excelled as a painter of • animals. Camille
Pissaro, France, is known as the father of
impressionism. .
Modigliani, Italy, contributed much to
lyrical painting with his elongated figures.
Marc Chagall, Russian-born, connected
with the French school, is one of our best
known contemporary artists, and _Max
Weber is considered by most critics as the
dean of American painters. Maholy-Nagy,
teacher in the Bauhaus group, served
many forms of art by his original and
highly creative experiments in design.
In sculpture we can point with pride to
England's Jacob Epstein and here at home
we have William Zorach,
Jacques Lipshitz, Jo David-
son and Detroit's Samuel
Cashwan, to name just a
few.
There are more names
than I have space to enum-
erate, but just glancing at
the highlights we have rea-
son to realize we have pro-
duced important artists and
craftsmen • in every country
and every time.
•
We have the artists among
our people, but are we prop-
erly represented by patrons?
Do we own enough fine cere-
monial pieces for use in our
homes, and do we evaluate
our artistic heritage in terms
of patronage?
Our community in general
is not sufficiently respon-
sive to the art activities in
our town; perhaps we know
too little about these or-
ganizations.
The Detroit Artists' Mar-
ket, at 108 Madison, corner
Witherell, is open to the
HANUKAH CANDLESTICK, about 1700: Seven
public every day except
Sunday, free of charge. This
branched _- candelabra of silver with rhythmic re-
gallery has sponsored De-
peats of fruit and leaves. The foot is ornamented
troit artists for 15 years..
with colorful enameled pictures and the lion holds
David Fredenthal, a Life
correspondent, and one of
the family crest on a shield. An outstanding exam-
10 artists chosen by Hud-
ple of craftsmanship and organization of pattern.
son's for the Michigan Art
Project, was given his
first public showing at this gallery, as
were Carl Hall, now represented in the
collection of the Boston and Corcoran
Art Galleries, and Zubel Katchadoorian
and Stanley Twardo•icz (former in-
structor at the Jewish Center Art
School).
The Artists' Market shows original
works of art that compete with the
average framed department store print.
The ownership of an original work is
tremendously satisfactory, for it gives
us a personal interest in -some young
artist's career and adds to our partici-
pation in our country's culture.
We Jews in Detroit can give greater
support to thee Artists' Market. the
Founders Society of the Detroit Insti-
tute of Fine Arts and the art depart-
ment of the Jewish Center, thereby de-
veloping far greater appreciation and
sponsorship of art in our community.
(Continued in Last Column)
"THE WHITE
CHALICE TYPE SEDER GOBLET:
Graceful and elegant pattern from the
weighted foot to curved cup showing
subtle contrast in the shape of the cup.
Grapes, branches ornament the goblet.
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4, 0 • 01 ,/••
44/ Sa../80
CRUCIFIXION," by Marc Chagall:
This composition is one of the most daring pieces of propaganda ever painted.
The figure of Christ is clothed only by a talus and the Cross bears Hebrew letters.
In one corner of the painting, Jews flee a burning synagogue and another carries
the Torah to safety. An army advances over a hill, leaving a village in flames. Figures
of mourning Jews are shown floating above in the clouds. The painting is executed
in tones of silvery white, broken only by the color of the red flames. It is considered
one of his most important pictures.
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TORAH CASE: The beauty of the
Palestinian cover, dated 1754, lies in
the gracefully hammered silver metal.
work and in its crown-like top.
.
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