"Today the artist Arthur Szyk (1894-1951) is chiefly remembered for his richly illustrated Haggadah. Working almost exclusively in watercolor and gouache on paper, he developed a highly individual style inspired by medieval illuminated manuscripts, painted in bright gemlike colors and suffused with his own Polish-Jewish identity. (Many of the full-page illustrations in this book are reproduced at actual size or significantly LARGER!) Several members of his family were killed in the Holocaust and he spent the war years in America drawing anti-Nazi caricatures and patriotic works in the same hyper-detailed style. I first encountered him in the edition of Andersen's Fairy Tales I had as child, and I'm glad to see his art getting renewed attention now."
Publisher GILES
Publication Date 2017-10-10
Section Art / All Staff Suggestions / Nonfiction Suggestions / Alan H.
Format Hardcover
ISBN 9781911282082
Winner of the National Jewish Book Award, 2017
This is an indispensable publication on the life and work of the great Polish-Jewish-American artist-activist Arthur Szyk. A master of miniature painting and calligraphy, Szyk (1894-1951) brought his unmistakable style to subjects as diverse as biblical stories, literary classics, and political cartoons. This powerful, striking book is one for all art enthusiasts and collectors, students of World War II and Holocaust history, and the art world in general, as well as a vital tool for educators.
Irvin Ungar is the curator of The Arthur Szyk Society in Burlingame, CA.
Michael Berenbaum is director of the Sigi Ziering Institute at the American Jewish University in Los Angeles, CA.
Tom L. Freudenheim is an art historian.
Steven Heller is the author of The Daily Heller.
James Kettlewell is an art historian.
