Wolf Rawicki, later to be known as Ze'ev Raban,
was born in Lodz in 1890 and died in Jerusalem
in 1970. Between the years 1905-1911, he studied
sculpture and the decorative arts in Europe,
first in his hometown and later in Munich,
Paris, and Brussels. At the Kunstgewerbechule
in Munich, Raban learned design, including object
and jewelry design;in Paris, he specialized in
sculpture; and in Brussels, he was influenced
by Symbolism and earned his living through
architectural decoration projects. The exhibition
presents Raban's finest works both in the minor
arts and in monumental art, from fine arts to
commercial art.
Raban reached Eretz-Israel in 1912 and joined
the staff of the Bezalel School in Jerusalem,
at the invitation of its director, Boris Schatz.
In 1914, he was appointed director of the
brass and copper repousse department, and his expertise
in this area is well-represented in the exhibition.
Raban's years at Bezalel were an upward progression,
from staff member to interim director of the school.
Raban viewed himself as a pioneer in the renewal
of Hebrew art in Eretz-Israel and was actively involved
in the forming of the ethos of the growing nation.
He encouraged tourism through his poster art,
illustrated Hebrew primers, and endowed decorative
and functional objects with Jewish/Hebrew content.
Raban underwent a metamorphosis in art from the
western art of his studies to an incorporation of
Eastern techniques and motifs, and the use of
indigent flora and fauna. An important stage
in that transformation was the adoption of the
Yemenite as a model for the Biblical figure.
Raban's acquaintance had been with a European Symbolism
that was international, equivocal, and often personal.
But in Eretz-Israel, Raban created a "Hebrew Symbolism"
that was national and carried a clear message,
although he still preferred the ideal and the
archetypal over realistic. He developed a visual lexicon
of motifs based on Jewish designs and topics, and to these
he added his own Hebrew calligraphic script and other decorative
elements, to form what was to become the "Bezalel style".
Raban was a believer in tolerance between individuals and nations,
and was opposed to violence. He was a freemason,
was well-acquainted with anthroposophy, and in his youth
tended toward spiritualism. His inclinations and beliefs
are expressed in works such as "The Peaceful Kingdom"
and various depictions of revelations.
The Exhibition Curator - Bat Sheva Goldman-Ida |
