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Safed
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One of Israel's most influential artists, Zaritsky aspired to bring Modernism to the local scene, combining in his personal vocabulary the International style with the bright light of the Land of Israel. Zaritsky studied at the Art Academy in Kiev and was influenced by the watercolors of Mikhail Vrubel; the latter's methodical construction of a picture with small, mosaic-like marks is characteristic of Zaritsky's early works. After immigrating to Palestine in 1923 Zaritsky moved away from Vrubel's "mosaic" method, employing free, lively brushstrokes to create paintings inspired by motifs from both his old and his new homeland. Until 1941 he worked in watercolor alone. Safed was probably painted about a year after Zaritsky arrived in the Holy Land, and it reflects the artist's early response to the local landscape, climate, and atmosphere, as well as his method of dividing a composition into predominantly dark and "clear" areas. While the darker area on the left is less formed – evoking the spiritual atmosphere of Safed, the cradle of Kabbalah – the lighter section on the right shows actual details of houses and greenery in the town.
Title: Safed
Description:
One of Israel's most influential artists, Zaritsky aspired to bring Modernism to the local scene, combining in his personal vocabulary the International style with the bright light of the Land of Israel.
Zaritsky studied at the Art Academy in Kiev and was influenced by the watercolors of Mikhail Vrubel; the latter's methodical construction of a picture with small, mosaic-like marks is characteristic of Zaritsky's early works.
After immigrating to Palestine in 1923 Zaritsky moved away from Vrubel's "mosaic" method, employing free, lively brushstrokes to create paintings inspired by motifs from both his old and his new homeland.
Until 1941 he worked in watercolor alone.
Safed was probably painted about a year after Zaritsky arrived in the Holy Land, and it reflects the artist's early response to the local landscape, climate, and atmosphere, as well as his method of dividing a composition into predominantly dark and "clear" areas.
While the darker area on the left is less formed – evoking the spiritual atmosphere of Safed, the cradle of Kabbalah – the lighter section on the right shows actual details of houses and greenery in the town.