Category: Jewish Art

“art which reflects the Jewish experience.”

the Seminar in Jewish Art held in 1984 defined Jewish art as “art that reflects the Jewish experience.” Although sounding simplistic, the definition avoids the identification of art with nationalism, and it avoids identifying Jewish art with a particular style or styles. Rather it is a very open definition that allows inclusion of both European art and art that was created in the Muslim world, as well as the hybrid forms created in the Bezalel School in Jerusalem during the first decades of the twentieth century that fuse art nouveau with Ottoman  forms and techniques. The definition clearly states that Jewish art is the result of the various historical experiences of the Jewish people, such as migrations and expulsions. As Brendel said of Roman art, Jewish art is in a state of continuous evolution. It is not a unified corpus, but a diversified body, encompassing contrasting aims according to time and historical circumstances.

Jewish Art and Visual Culture:
A Century of Academic Achievement
VIVIAN B. MANN

STUDIA ROSENTHALIANA 45 (2014), 9-16