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Reuven Rubin Original Hand-Signed Lithograph in Colors Artist Name: Reuven Rubin
Title: Two riders (from the "Prophets" series)
Reuven Rubin (November 13, 1893 – October
13, 1974) was a Romanian-born Israeli painter and Israel's first
ambassador to Romania.
Reuven Rubin (1893–1974) was a foundational
figure in Israeli art, often considered the leader of the "Eretz
Yisrael" style in the 1920s. His work is a blend of European Modernism (particularly
the influence of Henri Rousseau and Ferdinand Hodler) and a deeply personal,
romanticized vision of the Holy Land. Style·
Naïve Modernism: Rubin’s most iconic works utilize a "primitive" or naïve
aesthetic. Figures and landscapes are simplified into clean, bold shapes with a
lack of traditional Western perspective, giving the work a flat, tapestry-like
quality. ·
The Luminous Palette: He is famous for capturing the unique, "blinding" light
of Israel. He used bright, sun-drenched colors—vibrant turquoises, emerald
greens, and chalky whites—often contrasting them against the deep, earthy
ochres of the Galilee or Jerusalem hills. ·
The "Rubinesque" Figure: His human figures are sturdy, almond-eyed, and often appear in a
state of calm, spiritual repose. Whether depicting Yemenite brides, Arab
shepherds, or Jewish pioneers, the figures feel rooted in the soil. · Symbolic Flora: The olive tree and the pomegranate are recurring motifs in his work. He rendered olive trees with silver-grey leaves and gnarled trunks, treating them almost as human characters with their own ancient history. Evolutionary Phases
Biography Rubin Zelicovici (later Reuven Rubin) was born in Galaţi (Western Moldavia) to a poor Romanian Jewish Hasidic family. He was the eighth of 13 children. In 1912, he left for Ottoman-ruled Palestine to study art at Bezalel Academy of Art and Design in Jerusalem. Finding himself at odds with the artistic views of the Academy's teachers, he left for Paris, France, in 1913 to pursue his studies at theÉcole Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts. At the outbreak of World War I, he was returned to Romania, where he spent the war years. In 1921, he traveled to the United
States with his friend and fellow artist, Arthur Kolnik, with whom he
had shared a studio inCernăuţi. In New York City, the two met
artist Alfred Stieglitz, who was instrumental in organizing their first
American show at the Anderson Gallery.Following the exhibition, in 1922, they
both returned to Europe. In 1923, Rubin emigrated to Mandate Palestine. Rubin met his wife, Esther, in 1928, aboard a
passenger ship to Palestine on his return from a show in New York. She was
a Bronxgirl who had won a trip to Palestine in a Young
Judea competition. Artistic career The history of Israeli art began at a very
specific moment in the history of international art, at a time of Cezannian
rebellion against the conventions of the past, a time typified by rapid
stylistic changes. Thus, Jewish national art had no fixed history, no canon to
obey. Rubin began his career at a fortunate time. The painters who depicted the country’s
landscapes in the 1920s rebelled against Bezalel. They sought current styles in
Europe that would help portray their own country’s landscape, in keeping with
the spirit of the time. Rubin’s Cezannesque landscapes from the 1920s were
defined by both a modern and a naive style, portraying the landscape and
inhabitants of Israel in a sensitive fashion. His landscape paintings in
particular paid special detail to a spiritual, translucent light. In Palestine, he became one of the founders of
the new Eretz-Yisrael style. Recurring themes in his work were the
biblical landscape, folklore and people, including Yemenite, Hasidic
Jews and Arabs. Many of his paintings are sun-bathed depictions of
Jerusalem and the Galilee. Rubin might have been influenced by the work
of Henri Rousseau whose style combined
with Eastern nuances, as well as with the neo-Byzantine art to
which Rubin had been exposed in his native Romania. In accordance with his
integrative style, he signed his works with his first name
in Hebrew and his surname in Roman letters. In 1924, he was the first artist to hold a solo
exhibition at the Tower of David, in Jerusalem (later exhibited
in Tel Aviv at Gymnasia Herzliya). That year he was elected
chairman of the Association of Painters and Sculptors of Palestine. From the
1930s onwards, Rubin designed backdrops for Habima Theater, the Ohel
Theater and other theaters. His biography, published in 1969, is
titled My Life - My Art. He died in Tel Aviv in October 1974, after having
bequeathed his home on 14 Bialik Street and a core collection of his
paintings to the city of Tel Aviv. The Rubin Museum opened in 1983.
The director and curator of the museum is his daughter-in-law, Carmela
Rubin. Rubin's paintings are now increasingly sought after. At
a Sotheby's auction in New York in 2007, his work accounted
for six of the ten top lots. Diplomatic career In 1948, he became the first official Israeli
diplomatic envoy (minister) to Romania. He served in this position until 1950. Education 1912 Bezalel Academy of Arts and
Design, Jerusalem Awards and commemoration 1926 Awarded the Lord Plumer Prize Rubin
Zelicovici (later Reuven Rubin) was born in Galaţi to a poor Romanian Jewish
Hasidic family. He was the eighth of 13 children. In 1912, he left for
Ottoman-ruled Palestine to study art at Bezalel Academy of Art and Design in
Jerusalem. Finding himself at odds with the artistic views of the Academy's
teachers, he left for Paris, France, in 1913 to pursue his studies at the École
Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts. At the outbreak of World War I, he was
returned to Romania, where he spent the war years. Although
born in Romania and trained in art in Paris and Romania, Reuven Rubin in many
ways is a distinctly and distinctively Israeli artist. He studied briefly at
the Bezalel School of Art in Jerusalem, and he exhibited in the first art
exhibitions in Jerusalem in 1922. His exhibit of 1924 was the first one-man
show in the Jerusalem exhibits, and his one-man show in 1932 launched the Tel
Aviv Art Museum. He designed scenery for Habimah, Israel's National Theater,
and Rubin was one of the first Israeli artists to achieve international
recognition. Most
important, though, was Rubin's attempt to create an indigenous style of art.
Influenced heavily by the work of Henri Rousseau, he sought to fuse this style
with Eastern nuances. Hence his custom of signing his first name in Hebrew and
his surname in Roman letters. Among Rubin's most memorable works are his
paintings of the Yishuv, particularly his landscapes and his paintings of the
Israeli worker. Biblical themes also occur frequently in his work. His work was
extremely popular both at home and abroad, and if his later work was less
complex and profound than his earlier productions, it did not lessen his
popularity. Rubin
served as Israel's first ambassador to Rumania, from 1948-1950. His
autobiography, My Life--My Art, was published in 1969, and he received the
Israel Prize in 1973 for his artistic achievement. Reuven
Rubin was one of the most important young artists in Palestine of the 1920s who
reacted against the classic Western orientation of Jerusalem's Bezalel Academy.
Rejecting the use of Oriental motifs and local landscape to depict biblical
subjects, these artists drew instead drew everyday visions of the Near East in
a modernistic artistic style.
In
1924, he was the first artist to hold a solo exhibition at the Tower of David,
in Jerusalem (later exhibited in Tel Aviv at Gymnasia Herzliya). That year he
was elected chairman of the Association of Painters and Sculptors of Palestine.
From the 1930s onwards, Rubin designed backdrops for Habima Theater, the Ohel
Theater and other theaters. Payment Methods: Shipping&Handling: All items are sent through registered mail or by EMS - Fast delivery service, both operated by the Israel Post (up to 4-5 business days), depends on the weight and measures of the purchased item. You may add insurance for the item with an additional fee. Please e-mail us for other shipping methods. Combined Shipping: We will combine shipping and packaging to minimize costs and help you save on orders with multiple items. In case that the frame includes a glass, the item will be shipped without the glass in order to prevent any damage to the artwork caused by broken glass: be aware that such kind of a damage is not covered by the insurance! Terms of Auction: All sales are final, please only bid if you intend to pay. Refunds will be accepted only if the item is not as described in the auction. ISRAELI BUYERS MUST ADD 18% V.A.T. TO THE FINAL PRICE. Artshik provides full assurance that all items sold are exactly as described! We guarantee all items we sell are 100% authentic! |
