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THE ART OF HANUKAH 0. THIS MATERIAL IS FOR EDUCATIONAL USE ONLY 1. The ART OF CHANUKAH OR HANUKAH??? 2. הההההis Hebrew for ‘DEDICATION’ 3a. JUDAH THE MACCABEE-Rothschild Miscellany, No. Italy, 1450-80 Berman, N. (1996). The Art of Hanukkah . China: Hugh Lauter Levin, Inc. Pen and ink, tempera, gold leaf on vellum. 8 1/4 x 6 1/4 in. (21 x 15.9 cm). Ms. 180/51, fol. 217. The Israel Museum, Jerusalem. Gift of James A. de Rothschild, London Rothschild Miscellany is an illuminated Hebrew manuscript It has over 300 text illustrations It is a compilation of almost 50 religious and secular works It was made during the Florentine Renaissance It was for a Jew of great wealth and taste in Florence These illustrations are based on Josephus’s account of history These images and text are for the Sabbath during Hanukkah Judah the Maccabee is shown as a medieval knight in armor His shield has a rampant lion, the Jewish symbol of strength 3b. JUDITH AND HOLOFERNES-Rothschild Miscellany, No. Italy, 1450-80 Berman, N. (1996). The Art of Hanukkah . China: Hugh Lauter Levin, Inc. Pen and ink, tempera, gold leaf on vellum. 8 1/4 x 6 1/4 in. (21 x 15.9 cm). Ms. 180/51, fol. 217. The Israel Museum, Jerusalem. Gift of James A. de Rothschild, London Judith is the heroine who decapitated Holofernes He was the military leader of the enemy of the Jews She saved the Jewish people from destruction 4. KINDLING THE HANUKKAH LIGHTS -Sefer HaMinhagim, 1723 Kosofsky, S. M. (2004). The Book of Customs. San Francisco: Harper Collins This image is from the Book of Customs It shows a man kindling a very large Hanukah Lamp It was probably kept in the synagogue This is a print made by the woodblock technique Myrna Teck, Ph. D. 8/24/22 1

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Page 1: 2009 The Artof Hanukkah4website

THE ART OF HANUKAH

0. THIS MATERIAL IS FOR EDUCATIONAL USE ONLY

1. The ART OF CHANUKAH OR HANUKAH???’is Hebrew for ‘DEDICATION חנוכה .2

3a. JUDAH THE MACCABEE-Rothschild Miscellany, No. Italy, 1450-80Berman, N. (1996). The Art of Hanukkah. China: Hugh Lauter Levin, Inc.Pen and ink, tempera, gold leaf on vellum. 8 1/4 x 6 1/4 in. (21 x 15.9 cm). Ms. 180/51, fol. 217. The Israel Museum, Jerusalem. Gift of James A. de Rothschild, London Rothschild Miscellany is an illuminated Hebrew manuscriptIt has over 300 text illustrationsIt is a compilation of almost 50 religious and secular worksIt was made during the Florentine Renaissance It was for a Jew of great wealth and taste in FlorenceThese illustrations are based on Josephus’s account of history These images and text are for the Sabbath during HanukkahJudah the Maccabee is shown as a medieval knight in armorHis shield has a rampant lion, the Jewish symbol of strength

3b. JUDITH AND HOLOFERNES-Rothschild Miscellany, No. Italy, 1450-80Berman, N. (1996). The Art of Hanukkah. China: Hugh Lauter Levin, Inc.Pen and ink, tempera, gold leaf on vellum. 8 1/4 x 6 1/4 in. (21 x 15.9 cm). Ms. 180/51, fol. 217. The Israel Museum, Jerusalem. Gift of James A. de Rothschild, London Judith is the heroine who decapitated HolofernesHe was the military leader of the enemy of the JewsShe saved the Jewish people from destruction

4. KINDLING THE HANUKKAH LIGHTS -Sefer HaMinhagim, 1723 Kosofsky, S. M. (2004). The Book of Customs. San Francisco: Harper CollinsThis image is from the Book of Customs It shows a man kindling a very large Hanukah Lamp It was probably kept in the synagogue This is a print made by the woodblock technique It displays the characteristic checkerboard pattern of floor tiles Notice the diagonal frets in the windows of Holland

5. KINDLING THE HANUKKAH LIGHTS-Moritz Oppenheim, 1880Berman, N. (1996). The Art of Hanukkah. China: Hugh Lauter Levin, IncOil on canvas. 27 11/16 x 22 1/2 in. (70.4 x 57.2 cm). The Israel Museum, JerusalemMoritz Oppenheim is often considered the “first Jewish painter” This is due to his genre paintings They depicted traditional Jewish life This was during German Jewish emancipation in the 19th century

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Oppenheim was born in 1800 in HanauHe was educated in art in Munich, Paris, and RomeHe returned to Frankfurt where he lived out his life until He died in 1882He was a master portraitist of the Rothschild’s, his major patrons

This painting is in the grisaille medium (various gray tones) It was created between 1865 and 1880Oppenheim steadfastly used Jewish subject matterThis was when many Jews were converting to Christianity They did that in order to achieve financial success Oppenheim had a childhood home full of fine ceremonial objects The nostalgia of the Hanukkah celebration may have come from thereIt joined his conviction of the value of Jewish religious experience Note the many Hanukkah lamps in the roomThis indicates that each family member participated in the mitzvah That is of lighting and blessing the candlesHis Pictures of Old-Time Jewish Family Life are reproductions These are of the cycle of his paintings It was published in many versions in the l.19th and e. 20th centuries

6. CHANUKAH CANDLES-Ze’ev Raban, Bezalel Academy, 1920s. Berman, N. (1996). The Art of Hanukkah. China: Hugh Lauter Levin, Inc

Ze’ev Raban was a European-trained artistHe taught in many departments of the Bezalel Academy of ArtAfter 1914 -He also designed many commercial products It is his design that appears on the familiar box of Hanukkah candlesThis is now nearly 100 years later

The use of light originates at the beginning of all timeThose first words were: “Let there be light” Light was separated from darknessThis marked the first act of CreationThe Midrash says that light is not of this worldIt emanates from ennoblement That is, of something that comes from the other side of realityThe Baal Shem Tov said that the Hebrew word for light is “or” It has the same numerological value as “raz, or mystery

Hanukkah celebrates Judah Maccabee’s triumph over the Syrians That happened in 165 BCEA miracle accompanied this evenThe Temple menorah burned for eight days on a one-day supply of oil

7. DREIDLS-Various Artists, American and Israeli.Berman, N. (1996). The Art of Hanukkah. China: Hugh Lauter Levin, Inc

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Mixed media: lacquer, paint, paper decal, plastic, porcelain, and woodHeight: 2-3 in. (5.1 –7 cm)Collection of Linda and Leonard Thal, Los Angeles. Dreidels-in wood, ivory, cast lead, silver, pewter, and other metalsToday’s dreidels also use

WoodGlassceramicplasticPlexiglasLiquidsConfettiElectronicsAnd other non-traditional materials.

Tiffany and Wedgwood make them of silver, porcelain, and crystal These clearly reflect a modern Jewish sensibility Some are wound up and walk instead of spin, while others play music. Russian-Israeli artists create dreidels like Russian nesting dollsThese colorful and unique dreidels enhance the “Hiddur Mitzvah”This is especially true within a contemporary Jewish home

8. MENORAH AND MAGNOLIAS-Bill Aron, 1993 Berman, N. (1996). The Art of Hanukkah. China: Hugh Lauter Levin, IncSilver gelatin print. 16 x 20 in. (40.6 x 50.8 cm). Collection of the Museum of the Southern Jewish ExperienceBill Aron photographs of Jewish communities throughout the world1989-Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience commissioned himHe was charged to document uniquely southern Jewish lifeThis photograph captures such a momentIt evokes the spirit and customs of the Jewish southIt highlights the Jewish value of transmitting Jewish customs L’Dor v’Dor-from generation to generationThe graceful magnolia is the state flower for MississippiIt symbolizes the strength and beauty of the SouthThis contemporary family kindles the Hanukkah lights in a windowIt proclaims the miracle for all to see

9. HANUKKAH LAMP- Avignon, c. 12th c. Wigoder, G. (1972). Jewish Art & Civilization, Fribourg, Switzerland:

Chartwell Marble from the Pyrenees. Paris, Klagbald CollectionThe lamp has eight compartments for the oil wicksThe inscription reads:

“For the Commandment is a Lamp, and the Law is Light” That is from Proverbs 6: 23It is often used on Hanukkah Lamps

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10. LEHMAN/FIGDOR HANUKKAH LAMP- Italy (?), 14/16th cBerman, N. (1996). The Art of Hanukkah. China: Hugh Lauter Levin, Inc 5 3/8 x 6 11/16 x 2 in.( 13.7 x 17 x 5.1 cm)Congregation Emanu-El of the City of New YorkBequest of Judge Irving Lehman, 1945Formerly in the collection of Dr. Albert Figdor, ViennaThis lamp is the oldest Ashkenazi bronze lamp in existenceThat is, according to Professor Bezalel Narkiss The architectural character relates to the High Gothic style That is of the European Middle AgesThis is a of rare cast bronze lampCast in a mold in a single pieceIt is one of several rare medieval extant bronze Hanukkah lamps The lamps were designed with a back panel That is in order to hang it in a window or inside a room It is intended to be seen from outside the houseThis is what is prescribed by the Talmud There is a four-pointed quatrefoil in this central medallionIt encloses a grotesque animal: a salamander, phoenix, or dragonThese are all symbolically associated with fire They are thus appropriate to the rededication of the Temple menorah Lions of Judah inhabit the roundels, typical of medieval manuscriptsSquirrels holding nuts are a reference to mystical Cabala writings Or they may be to the Jewish metaphor linking the Torah to a nut As one peels away a nut’s hard outer shell to get to the kernelSo the study of Torah requires many levels of interpretation That is to discover its true meaning The shell and the kernel are compared in the Zohar (Splendor) That is, to the levels of meaning of the study of Torah. Intersecting arcades are an architectural reference to the TempleThe quote from Proverbs 6:23 is seen here once again

11. HANUKKAH LAMP-Fez, Morocco, 18th cSed-Rajna, G. (Ed.). (1997). Jewish Art. New York: Harry N. Abrams, IncBrass, cast, pierced, and engraved. 19 x 19 1/4 x 2 3/4 in. (48.3 x 23.5 x 7 cm). The Israel Museum, Jerusalem. Tycho CollectionThe backwall of this lamp is made of two separately cast pieces. The triangular upper section has birds perched on its ‘branches’The lower part has two arcades of horseshoe arch windows These reflect local architectureThe lamp has an overall decorative quality This reflects the richly ornamented domes on mosques in the area

12. HANUKKAH LAMP-Valentine Schuler, late 17th cGrossman, G. (1995). Jewish art. NY: Hugh Lauter Levin Assoc., Inc

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Valentin and his brother Michael established a workshop in GermanyFor 80 years, it produced the most magnificent silver Judaica These branches are similar to the biblical descriptionExodus 25: 33- knobs and flowers of the seven-branched menorah Here the knops are bell-shaped

Judith holds the head of Holofernes at the top of the lampThere is an animal on each burner: squirrel, stag, eagle, and pelicanThese may be emblems of Jewish families from the Frankfurt ghetto Base has medallions with architectural engravings appliqué angels Rampant lions holding shields form the feet of the lampThe lamp was for a wedding in the Judengasse in Frankfurt, 1681

13. HANUKKAH LAMP-Brody, 1787Berman, N. (1996). The Art of Hanukkah. China: Hugh Lauter Levin, IncMid-to late 18th c.-high baroque and rococo German aestheticArchitectural motifs are traditional to Hanukkah lampsAncient practice of placing the lamp to be seen from the street This backplate is based on Torah arks in Polish synagogues

Strict symmetry and horror vacui are the two aesthetic principlesThese principles exist on this lamp Heraldic animals face one another at the central vertical axisGriffins support a crown symbolic of the TorahIt is aligned with the meeting point of the ark doors. There is a contrast between the architecture and surrounding areas They are overlaid with dense silver vegetation The gilt ground is distinctly differentIt is as if the artist possessed a fear of empty spacesHorror vacui is most reminiscent of folk art The artist’s skill is evident in the graceful forms of natural life Rococo scrolls and cartouche at bottom are examples Lions are the shape for the burners in this lampThey recall the biblical Lion of JudahThe crown above the ark doors refers to the “crown of Torah”

14. HANUKKAH LAMP-Eastern Europe, late 19th cBerman, N. (1996). The Art of Hanukkah. China: Hugh Lauter Levin, Inc.Bronze, cast. 29 34 x 26 12 in 13 3/4 in. (75.5 x 67.3 x 34.9 cm). Rose and Benjamin Mintz CollectionThe Jewish Museum, New YorkThis lamp is a menagerie of animals from the Garden of EdenThey are arranged in heraldic pairs along a central vertical axisThis exotic paradise consists of:

Four dolphinsTwo elephants

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Two lionsBirdsDeerGriffinsA gorillaA bear

They create the harmony and peace the Maccabees fought to ensure

The protruding candleholder for the shammash emphasizes this axisMany aspects of this lamp recall east European folk artTorah arks and the carvings on tombstones may be design sourcesAnimals in dense foliage with openings are like paper cuttingThis lamp’s complex composition drew on sophisticated arts Open ironwork reached its apogee in the first half of the 19th c.

This lamp was probably a special commission Unique decoration reflects the fantasy of its maker, patron, or both It is a sculptural celebration of art in the service of ritual

This lamp came from Rose and Benjamin Mintz They were dealers in antiquities in Poland1939-They brought their collection of E. European folk art to NYCThey intended to exhibit it at the New York World’s FairThe items were never put on display That is, because they were not products of Palestine The Mintzes remained in America after the Nazi invasion of PolandTheir collection became part of the Jewish Museum15. HAMSA HANUKKAH LAMP-Iraq, 19th c. Berman, N. (1996). The Art of Hanukkah. China: Hugh Lauter Levin, Inc.Brass, cast (glass cups missing). 10 7/8 x 18 in. (27.6 x 45.7 cm). Deinard Collection, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.This lamp’s design reflects its origin in an Islamic country The back wall is the façade of a domed building on four pillarsThe scalloped arch provides a decorative elementThe hamsa, or hand, relates in Hebrew and Arabic to the number fiveIt is a popular amuletic device to ward off evilThe hamsa is used five times on the lampthis increases its power fivefoldThe inscription is from Genesis 49:22 and reads

“Joseph is a fruitful vine” This is a popular quote on amulets That is because the second phrase of the verse is

“A fruitful vine by a fountain.” The word for both fountain and eye is “ayin” This text was thought to afford good protection against the Evil eye

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16. DAMASCENE HANUKKAH LAMP-Damascene, Syria, 19th c. Berman, N. (1996). The Art of Hanukkah. China: Hugh Lauter Levin, IncBrass with copper and silver inlay111/2 x 13 1/4 x 2 1/4 in. (29.2 x 33.7 x 5.7 cm). Judaica museum of Central synagogue, New YorkIslamic influence is apparent in the keyhole shaped arches These are behind the oil wells and in the backplate. The use of Damascene work is at its high point in the 19th c. Jews in Arabic lands usually did this kind of work

Damascus Jews were metalworkers for many hundreds of years They perfected a unique art form called Damascene wareIt has inlays of yellow copper, brass, and silverThe surface of Damascene objects is decorated with

cursive linescalligraphyroundelssymbolsimagerygeometric patterns

They used the horror vacuii aesthetic of Islamic painting This bench-type lamp has a flattened horizontal arched backplateIts openwork crown incorporates Islamic stylistic features The border of Hebrew lettering accentuates the outline of the lampThe six-pointed Star of David is applied to repousse roundelsThis intensifies the reflected glow from the candles in the holders Disparate ethnic Jewish communities continued to use:

Lions of JudahArkTen Commandments

They used these symbols for thousands of yearsthis indicates the Jewish ability to retain the beliefs and traditionThey maintained Judaism while living in many places

17. BAAL SHEM TOV HANUKKAH LAMP--Germany, early 20th c.Grossman, G. (1995). Jewish art. NY: Hugh Lauter Levin Assoc., Inc.Silver, filigree, cast, die-stamped. Engraved, parcel gilt. 14 x 12 7/8 x 5 1/4 in. (35.6 x 32.7 x 13.3 cm). Hebrew Union College, Skirball Museum, Los Angeles. Kirschstein Collection. Tradition says that the Baal Shem Tov used this type of lamp It was widely imitated in the Ukraine and PolandThe elaborate filigree lamp is architectural in formOnion-shaped domes of E. Orthodox churches influenced it

18. HANUKKAH CHAIRS LAMP--Germany, 20th c. Berman, N. (1996). The Art of Hanukkah. China: Hugh Lauter Levin, Inc.

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Pewter. 3 x 1 1/8 x 1 3/8 in. (7.6 x 2.9 x 3.5 cm). HUC, Skirball Museum, Los Angeles. Kirschstein CollectionChair-shaped oil lamps is typical of fin-de-siecle Austria & Germany They are reminiscent of the design of the Vienna Secession The backs are inscribed with Hebrew words (Ner Hanukkah) The words say that they are to be used exclusively for the festival They may have been made for and used by children That is based on the dollhouse quality of these chair lights They also bring to mind small game pieces, such as dreidls Prof. Mordechai Narkiss wrote this in his book The Hanukkah Lamp (Hebrew, 1939) Prof. Narkiss’ son, Bezalel Narkiss explained the term “Chanukiah” It is a word frequently used to describe the Hanukkah lampTurn of the 20th century, there was a Judeo-Portuguese song The double “ll” sounded like a “y” producing the popular term

19. HANUKKAH LAMP-Eretz Yisrael or Yemen, e. 20th c.Grossman, G. (1995). Jewish art. NY: Hugh Lauter Levin Assoc., Inc.Stone, carved/ 6 3/8 x 14 3/4 x 8 1/8 in. (16.2 x 14 3/4 x 8 1/8 in.) The Israel Museum, Jerusalem This lamp is made of Jerusalem stoneIt depicts a two-storied building surrounded by a wallThere is a gabled structure on the lower story It is similar in form to numerous depictions of Torah arks It may appropriately serve as a reference to the Temple

20. JUDAH THE MACCABEE HANUKKAH LAMP--Benno Elkan, 1956Berman, N. (1996). The Art of Hanukkah. China: Hugh Lauter Levin, IncBronze, cast. 26 1/4 x 31 in. (66.7 x 78.7 cm)). Spertus Museum, ChicagoBenno Elkan created this lamp with three-dimensional figures They were cast in bronze and arranged in a classical compositionThey tell the story of Judah the Maccabee Judah stands victorious on topHis brothers Jonathan (a philosopher) and Simeon (a king) are close Two other brothers died in battle against the SyriansThey are draped at the bottom The Hebrew inscription from Exodus 15:11 emphasizes God’s powerIt brought victory to the brave Maccabees and their followers The verse reads:

“Who is like You, O Lord, among the might”

Elkan was an important German sculptor who fled Germany in 1933He to live in EnglandHe did major public sculptures on

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The theme of the ravages of war The price of freedom

England-Elkan made large-scale bronze candelabras in various sitesThese included Westminster Abbey and King’s College in Cambridge1945-British Parliament gave Elkan’s bronze menorah to the KnessetIt depicts events in the 5000+ year history of the Jewish people

21. MASADA HANUKKAH LAMP-Moshe Zabari, 1967. Berman, N. (1996). The Art of Hanukkah. China: Hugh Lauter Levin, Inc.Silver, fabricated and embossed; in three parts. 6 3/4 x 11 3/4 in. (17.1 x 29.3 cm). HUC Collection, Skirball Museum, Los Angeles Gift of Lucy Hubbard in honor of Jack H. SkirballMoshe Zabari designs and fabricates Jewish ceremonial artHe is a MELEKHET MABSHEVETThat is a biblical expression for “skillful workmanship” In Hebrew means “maker of Jewish ceremonial art” Zabari develops new aesthetic and symbolic approaches He captures the essence of an object of ritual significance

This lamp displays mountaintop shapes They emerge from an undulating plane It is evocative of a low, hilly range symbolizing MasadaZabari links the martyrdom of the Jewish zealots as triumph That occurred at Masada in 73 C.E. He joins that to the victory of Judah the Maccabee over the SyriansThat incident happened in 165 B.C.E.

Both events signify Jewish refusal to capitulate They would not bow to mighty oppressors even upon threat of deathThe story of Masada grew in importance to modern Israelis It became the symbol for Jewish resistance after the Holocaust It was especially important in the era of modern Israeli statehood

The surface and structure of this lamp are totally undifferentiatedRitual and meaning are enhanced by bent and hammered silverIts irregular curves and turns imitate Masada’s landscapeThey are analogous to the reflecting, shining silver surfacesThe luminosity and energy are similar to the fire of the lights

22. HANUKKAH LAMP-Zelig Segal, Jerusalem, Israel, 1984 Berman, N. (1996). The Art of Hanukkah. China: Hugh Lauter Levin, IncAluminum, laminated, painted, and kiln-fired7 1/2 x 14 in. (19 x 36 cm)Collection of Mark and Peachy Levy, Los AngelesZelig Segal’s design increases the opportunity for interaction The person lighting the lamp is “performing” the ritual

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Both a physical act and a spiritual purpose are combinedThe four pieces can be literally taken apart and recombined There are numerous composition and artistic formatsThey are dependent upon one’s mood or preferenceThe lamp comes with 4 separate bases, candleholders, and tops Each piece can be used as a separate lampIn the spirit of the holiday, one lamp can equal four lampsSegal’s lamp gives added dimension to the Hanukkah celebrationPutting together a puzzle piece menorah reflects games and joy Both of these are associated with the conviviality of the holiday

the lamp’s 4 levels represent the artist’s view of the Jewish nationThat is, Judaism continually rebuilds itself That is to perpetuate continuation of the people and the religion

Segal was born and raised in IsraelHe is a supporter of the Zionist approval of the Maccabean victoryHe equates contemporary Zionists with the Maccabees That is in their struggles against great odds for national freedomShield-like shape has the force and military spirit of Jewish victorThe range is from Judah the Maccabee to modern-day heroes

23. HANDBUILT STONEWARE LAMP-Otto Natzler, 1985Berman, N. (1996). The Art of Hanukkah. China: Hugh Lauter Levin, IncCeramic, celadon reduction glaze with sang and orange13 1/2 x 18 x 1 3/4 in. (34.3 x 45.7 x 4.4 cm)HUC Collection, Skirball Museum, Los AngelesMuseum purchase with funds from Audrey and Arthur N. Greenbergthis Hanukkah lamp displays a modernist formIt has a solid simplicity and proud spirit It evokes the historical triumph Jews celebrate on this holidayNatzler and his wife, Gertrud, immigrated to America in 1939They escaped Nazi-ruled Vienna, where they were born and marriedThis is where they began four decades of collaboration

They are among the great ceramists of the 20th centuryGertrud threw forms on the potter’s wheel Otto developed ceramic glazing to a high art formAfter Gertrud died, Otto made hand-built workHe found a new sculptural direction in his workThe subtle and ever changing glazed surface is a mystery It adds to the spiritual quality of the lamp’s ritual function

Natzler’s work has a purist integrity It is devoid of extraneous decorative or symbolic elementsHe laid string on wet clay to make the spirals on the surface

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Design is reminiscent of Ionic capitals of classic Greek architecture That was omnipresent in ancient Israel during the Maccabean revolt A blood-red glaze flows down from the candleholdersIt may refer to the casualties that were the painful price for victoryThe quietude and purity of the celadon covers most of the surfaceIt gives the lamp a peacefulness and strengthIt seems to express hope for continued vitality of the Jewish people.

24. STATUE OF LIBERTY HANUKKAH LAMP---Manfred Anson, 1986Berman, N. (1996). The Art of Hanukkah. China: Hugh Lauter Levin, IncBrass, cast, engraved. 23 x 16 1/2 x 7 (Diam. Base) in. (58.4 x 41.9 x 17.8 (Diam. Base) cm)

Engraved signature on back of shammash statueHUC Collection, Skirball Museum, Los AngelesMuseum purchase with funds provided by Peachy and Mark LevyManfred Anson escaped Nazi Germany He found safe refuge in Australia Eventually, he immigrating to Americathe Maccabees victory with democratic America ideals are equatedThe Constitution gives religious freedom to all the nation’s people

The candleholders were cast from an original 19th century souvenir It is a modern interpretation of an age-old practice

Jewish ceremonial art includes national emblemsThis is a classic work of “outsider” or folk artThis lamp combines found objects and adapts them The brass Hanukkah lamp is a cast of a 100-year-old Polish menorah The artist added the two outer arms and the service light in frontMiss Liberty statuettes were modified to hold the Hanukkah candlesThis reinforced the analogy between:

the torch of freedom Hanukkah’s allusion to the light of life

The inscriptions, dated by the artist, allude to many moments in Jewish history:

Exodus from EgyptBabylonian Exile 597-538 BCEJudah Maccabee 168 BCETwo Revolts Against Rome 69-79 C.E. 132-135 C.GalutHerzl Zionist congress BaselHolocaust 1939-1945Israel 1948;

under the shammash figurine, 1886-1986

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dates commemorating the centennial of the Statue of Liberty.

25. LOS ANGELES HANUKKAH LAMP-Peter Shire, 1986. Berman, N. (1996). The Art of Hanukkah. China: Hugh Lauter Levin, Inc.Anodized, painted, and chromed steel. 21 x 24 1/2 in. (53.3 x 61.5 cm). HUCCollection, Skirball Museum. Museum purchase with funds from Judy and Marvin ZeidlerThis is the first Hanukkah lamp that Peter Shire ever createdHe is world-renowned sculptor, ceramist, and furniture designerHe researched the Skirball Museum’s collection firstThen he created 8 large-scale, hand-wrought, innovative lamps They extend the Jewish ceremonial art form into the postmodern era

Shire was active in Memphis, Tennessee in the 1980sHe was part of the Italian design movement This approach rejected a clean, spare, functional aesthetic That approach predominated during the postwar yearsShire’s notion of art is based on a sense of adventure Its aesthetic is conveyed through bold color, form, and patternThis lamp includes fantasy, ephemera, and the transience of life

Shire calls this a California Hanukkah Lamp That is, because “it is about the Jewish people who live there” The piece exudes free-form design, style, architecture, and humorIt reflects the diverse and casual character of life in Los AngelesIts geometry of shapes and colors display

the Spanish-style homesPacific beachesjagged street patterns

It also contains allusions to the metallic presenceThat is the prevalence of the automobile and motorcycle These are especially abundant in the urban So. California landscape Adventuresome wit and poetic spirituality make this lamp elegant The machine aesthetic belies its carefully handcrafted originThis non-traditional is true to the criteria of ancient Jewish sagesThey required places for all eight lights to be on a single planeIn addition, the shammash (or servitor light) had to be elevated

26. ARCHITECTURAL HANUKKAH LAMP-Richard Meier, 1990Berman, N. (1996). The Art of Hanukkah. China: Hugh Lauter Levin, IncTin. 12 1/4 x 13 3/4 x 2 in. (31.1 x 34.9 x 5.1 cm). HUC Collection, Skirball Museum, Lost AngelesMuseum purchase with funds from Audrey and Arthur N. Greenberg1985-Architect Richard Meier created this Hanukkah lamp It was for the exhibition -Nerot Mitzvah/The Lights of Jewish Ritual”)

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The Israel Museum organized this exhibition in Jerusalem Many were invited to design new forms of Jewish ceremonial lightsIncluded were Architects, designers, and ceremonial artistsThe only criterion was adherence to traditional Jewish law

Meier’s lamp commemorates the long sweep of Jewish history Its colonnade of architectonic candleholders captures time/place

This is done through aesthetic and stylistic characteristicsEach holder identifies when Jews either thrived or suffered From left to right:

Egypt (Slavery)Rome (Hadrian’s Victory Column)England, 1290 (Expulsion);

France, 1310 (Expulsion)Spain, 1492 (Expulsion)Vienna, 1890 (Herzl)Russia, 1880-1903 (Pogroms)Germany, 1933 (Holocaust)

The lamp is a visual commentary on the relevance of the MaccabeesIt empowers the ritual kindling of the Hanukkah lightsResisting repression needs to be learned by every generation This was in order to preserve human values and the ideals of peaceThat is the harmony embodied in the Torah

Richard Meier is a proponent of minimalismHe used this aesthetic in

The High Museum in AtlantaThe Museum for Decorative Arts in Frankfurt am MainThe Getty Center in Los Angeles

The lamp’s simplicity communicates its aesthetic powerIt comes from over 4000 years of Jewish experienceShammash towers in perfect geometry, rising high above the lightsThis is in keeping with an even row, as prescribed by the HalakahIt reflects the ideals of the future in the universal “world to come”

27. TEMPLE HANUKKAH LAMP-Bella Feldman, 1993 Berman, N. (1996). The Art of Hanukkah. China: Hugh Lauter Levin, IncSilver-plated steel29 x 35 1/4 x 12 in. (73.7 x 89.5 x 30.5 cm)Collection of Robert and Sandra CarrollThe artist states:

“This large and massive menorah is intended to be permanently displayed as both a historical symbol and an evocative sculpture”

The forms signify a Temple of monumental power and sacred ritual

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Spiritualized shapes conjure up the meeting between God and humansA sword-blade curve and insurmountable incline toward the Temple The shield like larger form adds the connotation of military forceIt is a simile for Maccabees, who fought to restore religious freedom

The transcendent idea is the miracle of the light burning for 8 daysThe shammash appears as a Temple guard or torchIt heralds a staircase ascending mysteriously to the high, holy levelThat is the place of the ritual of the Hanukkah festivalThe spaces for the candles exist behind shutters They are to be kept closed throughout the yearOn each day of Hanukkah, another shutter is opened Thus, they reveal the number of candles appropriate to the dayThe closed ones indicate the days of the holiday left to celebrate

1991-Bella Feldman won one of four honorable mentions That was in the prestigious competition for the Spertus Judaica PrizePhil and Sylvia Spertus of the Spertus Museum sponsor this awardThis Hanukkah lamp has a distilled spiritual presence It possesses a dignity of honor and hope in the struggle for freedom

28. HANUKAH LAMP -Kerry Feldman, Breckenridge, Colorado, 1995Berman, N. (1996). The Art of Hanukkah. China: Hugh Lauter Levin, IncAluminum, hand-blown glass, and rose quartz. 12 x 20 x 3 in(30.5 x 7.6 cm) Collection of the artistGlass artist Kerry Feldman made many Judaica objectsThese include a Passover Seder plate It is in the collection of the Jewish Museum in New York It is also in the Skirball Museum in Los AngelesHe has extensive knowledge of rabbinic precepts It requires that the lights be ordered and on the same levelThe shammash is elevated above the sanctified lights

The 15th c. Rothschild miscellany manuscript shows a similar lampIt is elevated high upon a pedestalGlass is a fluid and flexible medium in its molten stateThis contrasts to the rigidity of the material once cooledSimilarly, the swaying candleholders are soft and undulating They are bold in their cobalt blue color They are soft in their transparency The rose quartz candle receptacles crown the vertical forms They accent the energetic movement of the elements

Many subtle Jewish interpretations in this lamp provide intrigue

For example, the candleholders are metaphoric candles

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They display flickering whimsical surface decoration It is from gold and brightly colored glass pictographs and squigglesthey seem to burn even when unlitTheir rigid formation suggests a full-dress military victory paradeIt is an allusion to the successful rebellion of the MaccabeesThe lineup of light forms connotes the continuum of Jewish history It also refers to the continuity of the celebration of HanukkahThis lamp combines:

The beauty of the materialIts colorThe interpretive depth vested in itA balance of humor and seriousness

It exhibits a spirit of joy and also a special hopeThat desire is proclaimed in a favorite contemporary Hanukkah song

“Don’t let the light go out!”

29. THE LAMP THAT BURNED ON-Ginny Ruffner, Seattle, 1995. Berman, N. (1996). The Art of Hanukkah. China: Hugh Lauter Levin, IncGlass and mixed media. 7 1/2 in. x 17 s 8 1/2 in. (19 x 43.2 x 20.3 cm). Collection of the Reichman Family.Form and function are foremost in this innovative Hanukkah lamp Its exotic form alludes to Aladdin and his magic lampRubbing the magic lamp brought Aladdin all he could wish forLighting this lamp recalls God’s miraculous answer That is to the Jewish people’s wish for religious freedomIts light continues to burn onIt gives hope for the triumph of light over darkness

This work was created for “A Hanukkah Menorah Invitational”It was sponsored by the Jewish Museum, San FranciscoArtists were invited “to create a Hanukkah lamp in their own image”Glass artist and sculptor Ginny Ruffner’s work is included in

the Metropolitan Museum of Artthe American Craft Museumprivate collections public art spaces

A friend inspired the artist to create this unique Hanukkah lampShe recounted the story of the miracle of Hanukkah

Imbuing the lamp with the mystery of the miracleLuminescent glass, sparkling gold, and jewel-tone blues enhance it Ruffner said she wanted to

“create a lamp whose lights appear to be on the end of the plumes of smoke coming out of it”

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The form combines religious tradition, folk stories, and pop cultureJewish art forms have always had traces of the mainstream cultureThis enlivens and enriches Jewish art and the art of celebration

30. HANUKKAH LAMP-Leo Lionni, 1985 Gaon & Zipkin (1986). Nerot Mitzvah, The Israel Museum, JerusalemGlass, fabric ribbons. 24 x 26 x 10 cmThe poetry of the ritual act obsesses Lionni from the beginningThat’s what motivated him to design this lampHe wanted active participation on the part of the userEither in the process of making, or at least decorating itParticipation would be more religiously/poetically meaningfulThis lamp is simple and modest in its scale and stylistic conception

Leo Lionni was born in 1910 in AmsterdamHe received a Ph. D. in economics from the University of Genoa He then opened a studio in MilanIn the 1940s he taught at Black Mountain College in North CarolinaLater, he organized the Design Dept at Parsons School of Design, NY 1982-85: he taught at Cooper Union in New York CityHe has exhibited at the MoMA in NY and the Venice Biennale

31. THE JOY OF HANUKAH-Michel Schwartz, 1986Berman, N. (1996). The Art of Hanukkah. New York: Hugh Lauter LevinCalligraphic painting. Collection of the artist

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