MAY 5 • 2022 | 31

explained that Rivera want-
ed to depict a German per-
son on the assembly line and 
thought that 
Glicksman was 
a Jewish name. 
(Glicksman was 
actually born in 
Poland.) In the 
mural, he wears 
a cap typical of 
the 1930s but 
switched to a 
yarmulke when 
he left the fac-
tory.
The DIA has benefited 
from many generous mem-
bers of Detroit’s Jewish com-

munity who have donated 
funds or artwork to the 
museum. Albert Kahn, a 
German Jewish 
immigrant 
who became a 
world-renown 
architect, was 
asked to design 
a bigger DIA 
museum on 
Woodward 
Avenue during 
the 1920s. 
According to 
Cohn, Kahn 
declined the prestigious 
commission due to other 
work commitments 
but served on the Art 
Commission that chose Paul 
Cret as the architect for the 
new building. 

Kahn had an extensive 
art collection and donated 
some artworks to the DIA. 
Cohn showed the JHSM 
members several examples 
including Head of a Saint, a 
Spanish limestone sculpture 
from the early 13th century. 
Kahn also gave two sets of 
beautiful silver candlesticks 
to the museum; these are 
exhibited in glass cases. 
Today the DIA has several 
galleries named after major 
Jewish art collectors and 
donors from the Detroit 
area.
JHSM is training mem-
bers to be docents for the 
Jewish connection art tours 
and hopes to begin offering 
them in June. Information 
will be available at mich-
jewishhistory.org. The 
Jewish Historical Society of 
Michigan, a nonprofit edu-
cational organization, was 
founded in 1959 to interpret 
and highlight the history 
of Jewish Michigan. JHSM 
offers docent-led tours, lec-
tures, classroom materials 
and publications. 

OPPOSITE PAGE, 
LEFT: Barbara Cohn 
with Head of a Saint 
(shown mounted 
on another artwork) 
donated by Albert 
Kahn. 

BELOW: Harry 
Glicksman is pic-
tured in the front 
row, fourth from left, 
in Detroit Industry.

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