Eliezer Strich (1879-1941) - Portrait of a Yemenite Youth, Jerusalem, 1922. Watercolor, pencil, and ink on wood, signed and dated 1922, Jerusalem, depicting a Yemenite Jewish youth wearing a traditional head covering, rendered with a strong linear outline and subtle coloration characteristic of early Bezalel School aesthetics. The composition presents the sitter in three-quarter profile, framed by a halo-like circular motif, emphasizing both individuality and symbolic presence.
The artist, Eliezer Strich, was among the earliest teachers at the Bezalel School of Arts and Crafts and a significant figure in the development of Jewish and Zionist visual culture in Mandatory Palestine. Born in Dvinsk (now Daugavpils, Latvia), Strich studied at the School of Arts in Saint Petersburg and worked in decorative arts and relief sculpture, including commissions associated with the House of Fabergé. He was awarded a gold medal by Tsar Nicholas II for one of his relief works.
In 1914, Strich was invited to teach at Bezalel, heading the metal repoussé and relief department until 1921 (with interruption during World War I, when he served in the Jewish Legion). He later taught drawing at the Reali School in Haifa for sixteen years. His works frequently focus on Yemenite Jewish subjects, reflecting the Bezalel School's emphasis on ethnographic documentation and the formation of a distinct Hebrew artistic identity.
This work was previously sold at Kedem Auctions, Sale 58, Lot 149, and is accompanied by period framing.
Wood panel measures approximately 23.5 × 23.5 cm (upper corners clipped); frame measures approximately 41 × 41 cm.
Condition is good overall, with scattered staining, light wear, and minor surface imperfections consistent with age.
Estimated Value $200 - 300
Judaica
