There were a number of Jewish painters who made their name in the art world over the twentieth century. But, arguably, none were as prolific or more impactful than Chaim Goldberg. Born on March 20th, 1917, Goldberg was one of three million Jews who contributed to Poland’s arts and culture scene. He was discovered at just fourteen years old when Saul Silberstein – a postdoctoral student of Sigmund Freud – came to the Goldberg’s house and discovered his drawings nailed to the walls. After this, he was given a private scholarship at the Mehoffer High School of Fine Arts in Cracow, and he proceeded to create 3,000 artworks which would become renowned not just in Poland but around the world.
The Beauty Of Goldberg’s Work
Some of Goldberg’s most notorious works include The Horam Dance, which is a depiction of seven faceless, paper-esque Jewish dancers with a commanding sense of movement and symmetry; Water Carrier, which is a symbolic depiction of a Jewish man buckling under the weight of water bails; and Trio, which depicts music, creativity and life.
Part of the reason these are so loved is because of the context in which they were created. Chaim grew up during a time of unease amongst Jewish communities across the world. He fought during WWII and was imprisoned by the Germans, only to escape and travel to Kazimierz to persuade his family to find refuge. When the war was over, he was alive, but – due to their refusal to leave their home – his family had been killed at the hands of the Nazis. After this, Chaim went on to depict his experiences with the Jewish community through his art, painting child-like, nostalgia-driven accounts of his past but with a realistic, haunting subtext of suffering and turmoil.
The Myth And Legend Of Goldberg
A visit to any one of the number of Jewish galleries across the world will detail just how much influence his rivals gleaned from his work. Even at the time, renowned Jewish artists like Marc Chagall were creating similar scenes – often in a more biblical context – which celebrated Jewish community and detailed the torment they were being put through.
Today, it is the magic of Goldberg’s work which really seems to influence artists. When Goldberg became ill with scarlet fever at a young age, a local rabbi advised his father to change his name to Chaim – which is Hebrew for “life”. Goldberg soon recovered and kept that name for the rest of his days, and this mysticism and expression of faith is something that is instilled into many of his pieces (as well as pieces of many Jewish artists today). A visit to the israeli centre of judaica, for instance, will reveal the work of Jewish artist Gitty Fuchs. Their piece, named ‘Hasidim Dance’, feels particularly inspired by Chaim’s piece ‘The Horam Dance’, capturing the ethereal mysticism of the Jewish community, the passion, the strength and – most importantly – the faith in each other and God.
It is likely that there are many other artists carrying on the legend of Chaim Goldberg, so make sure to check into a Judaica gallery or purchase a few artworks online. If you do this, you will not only be supporting them but supporting the continuing legacy of Goldberg himself.
