Lot Essay
This lamp is a notable example of Judaica produced by the Bezalel School of Arts & Crafts, established in 1906 in Jerusalem by the Lithuanian Jewish artist and visionary Boris Schatz. Operating during the Ottoman and British Mandate periods, the school sought to develop a uniquely Jewish artistic language that combined European Arts and Crafts ideals with traditional Jewish themes and local Middle Eastern forms. Its metalwork department, staffed by skilled silversmiths — many of them Yemenite Jewish immigrants — became especially known for its Hanukkah lamps, spice containers, and Torah ornaments.
The Bezalel School emphasized both craftsmanship and cultural identity, often drawing on biblical, Zionist, and folkloric motifs. The figure of Aaron, brother of Moses and the first High Priest, is a rare and symbolically rich subject, suggesting themes of priesthood, continuity, and divine service. The Maccabean procession represents heroism and national revival, a theme especially resonant in the cultural ethos of the early Zionist movement. Another example of this form was sold Bonham's, London, 24 March 2005, lot 54.
The Bezalel School emphasized both craftsmanship and cultural identity, often drawing on biblical, Zionist, and folkloric motifs. The figure of Aaron, brother of Moses and the first High Priest, is a rare and symbolically rich subject, suggesting themes of priesthood, continuity, and divine service. The Maccabean procession represents heroism and national revival, a theme especially resonant in the cultural ethos of the early Zionist movement. Another example of this form was sold Bonham's, London, 24 March 2005, lot 54.