Friday, October 14, 2011

University of Miami Sculpture




Bronze sculpture,
Priest with censer (for incense),
unknown artist,
Scharlin Patio ,
Sue and Leonard Miller Center for Contemporary Judaic Studies, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida

Friday, October 7, 2011

University of Miami Sculpture





Bronze sculpture,
Carrying a scroll,
unknown artist,
Scharlin Patio ,
Sue and Leonard Miller Center for Contemporary Judaic Studies, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida

Friday, September 30, 2011

University of Miami Sculpture






Bronze sculpture,
Reading from prayerbook,
unknown artist,
Scharlin Patio ,
Sue and Leonard Miller Center for Contemporary Judaic Studies, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

University of Miami Sculpture





Bronze sculpture
Sounding the Shofar
unknown artist
Scharlin Patio
Sue and Leonard Miller Center
   for Contemporary Judaic Studies
University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida

Thursday, September 22, 2011

University of Miami Sculpture






Bronze sculpture,
Playing the  fiddle,
unknown artist
Scharlin Patio
Sue and Leonard Miller Center
   for Contemporary Judaic Studies,
University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida

Monday, September 5, 2011

Commandment 10

 THOU SHALT NOT COVET.
 The Ten Commandments (1933) by Alexander Katz (1895-1974)
  (Copies of these lithographs were provided by David Pitcher, MD)
 
 Commentary by Rabbi Alexander S. Kline    
This is perhaps the most eloquent of the Katz designs. Coveting and greed degrade and cheapen life. On the left side of the image we see full bookshelves, a lighted candles, and an empty treasure chest. On the right side we see shelves without books, an empty candlestick, and a chest filled with gold and jewels. Freedom from greed may be achieved through cultivation of mind and spirit.  Here is a genuinely Jewish sense of balance and values.
 

Commandment 9

THOU SHALT NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS AGAINST THY NEIGHBOR.
  The Ten Commandments (1933) by Alexander Katz (1895-1974)
   (Copies of these lithographs were provided by David Pitcher, MD)

Commentary by Rabbi Alexander S. Kline
Two happy houses symbolize neighborliness with smoke emanating from them spelling emet the Hebrew word for truth. Beauty, serenity and harmonious human relations are safeguarded when we speak the truth.

Commandment 8

THOU SHALL NOT STEAL.
 The Ten Commandments (1933) by Alexander Katz (1895-1974)
  (Copies of these lithographs were provided by David Pitcher, MD)


Commentary by Rabbi Alexander S. Kline
Honesty is depicted in this plate by showing a man on a narrow path traversing a forest of tall upright trees. The picture has a strong message of straightforwardness.

Commandment 7

 THOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY.
  The Ten Commandments (1933) by Alexander Katz (1895-1974)
   (Copies of these lithographs were provided by David Pitcher, MD)


Commentary by Rabbi Alexander S. Kline
Purity is depicted by flowing water and snow crystals. The all-seeing eye is contained in a large symbolic "Zayin", the Hebrew numeral seven. The design emphasizes the purity and sacredness of the marital relationship.

Commandment 6

  THOU SHALL NOT MURDER. 
The Ten Commandments (1933) by Alexander Katz (1895-1974)
(Copies of these lithographs were provided by David Pitcher, MD)

Commentary by Rabbi Alexander S. Kline
Life is sacred and its Source is God! 
This mystic design shows a pool of blood and a dove 
representing a soul hovering in space. 
Impious hands partly obliterate the name of God, 
recalling the legend that an untimely death 
embarrasses our Maker.

Commandment 5

  HONOR YOUR MOTHER AND FATHER.
 The Ten Commandments (1933) by Alexander Katz (1895-1974) 
 (Copies of these lithographs were provided by David Pitcher, MD) 
 
 Commentary by Rabbi Alexander S. Kline    
The firm young tree represents youth. The 613 leaves which form the letter "Yod" means God and are the 613 commandments of the Torah which a pious Jew must observe. In the background are the first words of the Kaddish, the prayer recited daily for eleven months and annually thereafter in filial piety for one's deceased parents.

Commandment 4

     REMEMBER THE SABBATH DAY AND KEEP IT HOLY.
The Ten Commandments (1933) by Alexander Katz (1895-1974)
                (Copies of these lithographs were provided by David Pitcher, MD)


 
Commentary by Rabbi Alexander S. Kline
Glowing forms and colors, expressive of joy and exaltation, spell out the word Sabbath. A mighty hand warns against breaking the holiness and beauty of the day on which God rested. The Sabbath must be dedicated to rest and restoring the work-weary soul through instruction and inspiration.

Commandment 3

THOU SHALT HAVE NOT TAKE THE LORDS NAME IN VAIN. 
The Ten Commandments (1933) by Alexander Katz (1895-1974)
(Copies of these lithographs were provided by David Pitcher, MD)
 
 
Commentary by Rabbi Alexander S. Kline
The design spells out in Hebrew characters the sentence, "Hear O, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One!" expressing the thought that the God of the world is like a cataract of living waters and all false gods crumble before Him.

Commandment 2

      THOU SHALT HAVE NO OTHER GODS BEFORE ME.
       The Ten Commandments (1933) by Alexander Katz (1895-1974)
       (Copies of these lithographs were provided by David Pitcher, MD) 



Commentary by Rabbi Alexander S. Kline
The design spells out in Hebrew characters the sentence, "Hear O, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One!" expressing the thought that the God of the world is like a cataract of living waters and all false gods crumble before Him.

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Commandment 1

I AM THE LORD THY GOD WHO BROUGHT THEE OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT.
The Ten Commandments (1933) by Alexander Katz (1895-1974)
 (
Copies of these lithographs were provided by David Pitcher, MD)

Commentary by Rabbi Alexander S. Kline
The print depicts Mt. Sinai in mystic setting and 
an abstract pattern of symbols for the name of GOD 
which rises in a crescendo of forms to finally unite 
to spell the word "Echod"--One. 

Ten Commandments by Alexander Raymond Katz

Biography of Alexander Raymond Katz (1895-1974)
Alexander Katz was born in Hungary in 1895 and migrated to the United States in 1909. Following his studies at the Art Institute of Chicago and the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts in the 1920s, he designed murals and stained glass windows for movie palaces. Later in his career Katz explored the artistic possibilities inherent in the characters of the Hebrew alphabet. He developed aesthetic and philosophical interpretations of each letter and became an innovator in Judaic art. His mural, "Ten Commandments", was commissioned for the 1933 Chicago's Century of Progress exhibition and was based on the Hebrew alphabet. His subsequent murals and stained glass window designs appear in synagogues and churches throughout America. 

The ten images are reproduced in low resolution for education purposes. They are not for sale. The commentary by Rabbi Alexander S. Kline has been edited and paraphrased.


Introduction

Judaica or Jewish Art pertains to objects associated with Jewish customs or rituals. The objects may be created by Jewish or non-Jewish artists. The term is sometimes used to include secular objects by Jewish artists. Also, some themes are not exclusively Jewish themes. One example of a nonexclusive theme is art based on the ten commandments. The images used for the banner of this blog came from the paintings of Sam Grodensky (1894-1974) which may be viewed at: www.grodensky.com