FIRST EDITION LITHOGRAPH
New York, 1949 (Printed during the First Year of Israel's Independence).
Publisher: K. Bileski; Printer: Herman Jaffe.
Image size: 8" x 6 1/2"; Paper size: 11 1/2" x 10".
unsigned, Price: $35
Signed by Arthur Szyk, Price: $300
IsraelFour thousand years of Jewish History come to life in Arthur Szyk's Israel, completed by the artist in 1948 and printed in 1949. Biblical King David (top left) and his son King Solomon (top right), shown holding a copy of "Songs of Songs," flank three famous Biblical personages: The warrior Hur, Moses the deliverer, and Aaron, Moses'' brother and high priest.

The Star of David dominates the print. The Crown of the Good Name is directly above, below which is the great teacher Hillel's dictum, "If I am not for myself, Who will be for me?." The cluster of grapes in the center of the Star (also at lower right of print) symbolizes the historic bounty and productivity of the land. This is a direct reference to the large grapes Joshua and Caleb brought back after a brief spy trip into the Land of Israel, before Joshua led the Israelites into Canaan. The phrase, "The time of our freedom," also appears with the Star, referring to the deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt.

Bar Kochba sits to the left of the Star. He led a temporarily successful revolt against the Romans 65 years after they had destroyed the Holy Temple in Jerusalem (in 70 C.E.). His shield displays the Star of David, which symbolizes God's security and strength. The prophet Ezekiel sits to the right. He foretold the return of the Jews to their Homeland after their 70 years of captivity in Babylon.

The two tablets containing the 10 Commandments anchor the lower section, flanked on the right by the pioneer builder ("Chalutz") and on the left by the soldier. The activity of both has been essential to the well-being and success of Israel... especially since 1948. The oranges next to the soldier, now exported worldwide, mirror the grapes on the opposite side as a contemporary expression of Israel's accomplishment. Two lions of Judah sit poised at both sides of the base of the Decalogue.

The Hebrew language script both above and below Bar Kochba and Ezekiel proclaim: "Praised be You, God, our God, King of the Universe, who has kept us alive, sustained us, and enabled us to commemorate this time." This prayer for newness and celebration refers to the blessing of the creation of the New State of Israel in 1948.

The historic organization of Israel into twelve tribes is depicted throughout the painting by the 12 colored symbols, one for each of the 12 tribes. Interspersed along the four vertical columns, these signs of the tribes integrate the composition just as the tribes they symbolize represented the heart of the Nation of ancient Israel long ago.

This image is one of nine countries of The United Nations Series completed by Arthur Szyk before his death in 1951.

IDENTIFICATION OF
PICTURES AND SYMBOLS IN
ARTHUR SZYK'S VISUAL HISTORY.

History Map

  1. Moses
  2. Aaron, the High Priest, brother of Moses
  3. The warrior Hur
  4. The Ten Commandments
  5. King David
  6. King Solomon
  7. "The Crown of a Good Name"
  8. "If I am not for myself, who will be for me" (a quotation from Hillel the sage)
  9. The warrior Bar-Kochba, who led the revolt against Rome, ca. 135 C.E.
  10. The prophet Ezekiel, who in Babylonian exile, foretold the return to the Holy Land
  11. The Magen David, the Star of David
  12. "The Time of Our Freedom"
  13. An Israeli soldier
  14. An Israeli pioneer and builder, "Chalutz"
  15. The Hebrew prayer, "Shehecheyanu", the prayer for newness and celebration, here a reference by Arthur Szyk to the blessing of the creation of the new State of Israel in 1948. ["Praised be You, God, our God, King of the Universe, who has kept us alive, sustained us, and enabled us to commemorate this time"]
  16. Israel


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