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Mizrach and Yahrzeit sign : manuscript.
Kislak Center for Special Collections - Manuscripts Arc Ms 56 item 14 OS Mapcase Drawer 24
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- Format:
- Book
- Manuscript
- Author/Creator:
- Weksman, Woolf, artist.
- Language:
- Hebrew
- Subjects (All):
- Synagogues.
- Yahrzeit.
- Manuscripts, Hebrew--New York (State)--New York--19th century--Specimens.
- Manuscripts, Hebrew.
- Genre:
- Paintings.
- Watercolors.
- Manuscripts.
- Commemorative works.
- gouaches (paintings)
- calligraphy (visual works)
- signs (declatory or advertising artifacts)
- pen and wash drawings.
- pen and ink drawings.
- Penn Provenance:
- Formerly sold at Sotheby's New York (Important Judaica, 22 December 2015) lot 76.
- Purchased for the Penn Libraries in 2024 by Arnold and Deanne Kaplan from Legacy Judaica (Lakewood, N.J.), November 2024; collectify 2025.01.19.00004; {76BACA77-390B-4B82-9714-CC20248F2F19}; 1.41 .
- Physical Description:
- 1 sheet : paper, illuminations, gouache, ink ; 75 x 60 cm
- Production:
- [New York], [1878?-1880?]
- Language Note:
- Hebrew.
- Biography/History:
- Jewish artist, originally from Suvalk (today Suwałki, Poland), emigrated to New York circa 1875; surname spelling from Sotheby's (Polish birth records list variants Waksman, Wexman, Weksmann, and more; romanized Zeʼev Ṿolf Ṿaḳsman).
- Summary:
- Combined Mizrach and yahrzeit poster, drawn in ink and colored and shaded in gouache; Hebrew letters written in a square script; some text vocalized. The tradition of creating Mizrach signs and posters in American synagogues can be seen with surviving examples in Kleeblatt, Norman L. The Jewish heritage in American folk art (New York, 1984).
- Notes:
- Title devised by cataloger.
- Upper portion: Eagle in flight, with a crown between wings; banner in beak, with text: "ר' שמעון אומר שלושה כתרים הן..." (Mishnah, Avot IV:13).
- Central portion: Central adorned cartouche with text (ממזרח שמש עד "מבואו...; Psalms CXIII:3) between two rampant lions, on two trees; a decorative braided Menorah, with a verse (אל מול פני המנורה יאירו...; Numbers VIII:2) and an open scroll showing verses from Deuteronomy about the support of the poor; verse וזאת התורה and דע לפני מי אתה עומד on a banner below, with popular motifs of Moses and Aaron; verse below trees: עץ חיים היא למחזיקים בה... (Proverbs III:18).
- Artist's autograph in Hebrew at bottom on floral banner ("מעשה ידי להתפאר, זאב וואלף וואקסמאן").
- OCLC:
- 1537646782
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