Friday, April 4, 1947 THE JEWISH NEWS Page Eight ±-_"1 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111WIIIIIMIIMIN11IIMilIMMIU111111111f11111111111111111111111111111111111111i111111111111111114111HIIHIllII1NIII11111111111111111111 Highlig ht s • in Jewish Art -. -. _- _;.--- ,-- -- _,.--- ---- -P-- - = By MAXINE R. LEVIN -_-€: .--7-- - - a1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111101111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111H1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111 -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. • 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. .0.41110110111141011111111.1010111100~.....i.................-ar‘ ............. TORAH CASE: The beauty of the Palestinian cover, dated 1754, lies in the gracefully hammered silver metal. work and in its crown-like top. . a s • aaaselwaw.m.INNUN 34.1 ,01110.0.010■1100-..•