Jerusalem Faces

In April 1973, Oskar Kokoschka was invited to Jerusalem to make six sketches of the city’s leading political and religious figures: Prime Minister Golda Meir, Supreme Court President Shimon Agranat, Minister of Defense Moshe Dayan, Jerusalem's mayor, Teddy Kollek, His Beatitude Benedictos I, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem and Sheikh Mustafa Khalil el-Ansari, chief warden of the Mosque of Omar. By setting the respective portraits against a blank background and by means of rapid sketching he succeeded in capturing the essence of each individual’s personality. From these sketches, 160 lithographs of the set of six portraits was produced. This project was undertaken in aid of the Jerusalem Foundation, founded by Kollek, and the proceeds went to support educational opportunities and the fostering of friendship between Jewish and Muslim youth. George Weidenfeld & Nicolson Ltd., together with Marlborough Graphics Ltd. covered the entire cost of the project.