Jew from Poland
Lerski’s portrait of a young Polish Jewish immigrant to Palestine is in his distinctive, expressionist style. Using mirrors and reflectors to emphasize the transformative powers of light, Lerski liked to portray his subjects with their faces glistening with sweat, suggesting the Zionist ideal of the physically fit and hard-working “new” Jew. It was also an aesthetic choice because of the way that sweaty faces reflect light.
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Credits
Copyright Estate, Helmar Lerski, Museum Folkwang, Essen
Published in: The Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization, vol. 8.
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