Post No. 2 - The School of Yehuda Pen - Yudel Pen
Art as a spiritual revival
On the subject of Post No.1 - The School of Yehuda Pen - Vitebsk.
Loosely based on G. Kazovsky, “Vitebsk School and Yehuda Pen” (Russian).
Baron Korf hosted Yehuda Pen in Königsberg. The Vitebsk governor Levashov, who was visiting Baron Korf, drew attention to Pen's work and invited him to his city. In 1898, Pen moved to Vitebsk and lived for some time in the governor’s house.
Vitebsk, like other provincial “capitals” of Russia at the turn of the century, was the center of cultural life. Theater troupes regularly toured there, renowned musicians gave concerts. Vitebsk own symphony orchestra was created, which gave concerts not only in Vitebsk, but also in Vilna and Riga.
A significant part of the Vitebsk intelligentsia were Jews. In a word, when Pen arrived in Vitebsk, he found himself not in a provincial town, but in a large cultural city, where they were waiting for him. Immediately on one of the central streets of Vitebsk, he was provided with an apartment of several rooms, in one of which he set up a workshop and in November 1897 opened his School of Drawing and Painting. One of gvirim (Levison?) provided a tuition, so Pen could accept poor students.
Apparently, this school can be considered the first Jewish art educational institution. In an ad placed by Pen in the “Vitebsk Provincial” on September 17, 1898, it was reported that students of the school were offered a course in drawing geometric objects, ornaments, plaster figures, painting from nature and in the open air. However, Pen did not stay away from the problems facing other Jewish artists, his friends, and peers at that time.
Pen belongs to that generation of Jewish artists in Russia, which at the turn of the century came to understand artistic creativity as a form of national life, as a way of national identity. Pen taught art as a powerful factor of spiritual revival.
The Paintings
This is a mesmerizing painting. It could be called a portrait of a good man. As goodness of this man oozes from his face, eyes. As you look at these portraits, you just have to assume the tragic fate. Because of the transition to Stalin’s communism or because of the ideological break with the children. A tragic generation that was forgotten and then “honored” with a crude caricature in the official Chabad.
The painting of a Shamesh. How you expect to see a shamesh. I think Pen conveyed a picture of a simple man very accurately. Only a surface twinkle in the eyes. There is no depth. In contrast with the depth of the eyes above, above is an infinite stare. It takes a master to do this.
This painting from 1903, called “A letter From America”, allegedly Yudel Pen’s mother. This painting doesn’t need description. It is universal, we have seen this woman before, we can tell about her life before and after. This exact picture played out in every Jewish family a million times. And Yehuda Pen captures the tragic emotions of the universal moment better than a history book.
Window to the Street of Vitebsk
You can tell this was in Soviet days. The style of the casket has changed and, in general, this yid looks more “soviet”.
Pen was good at portraits. Occasionally, you see a slice of Vitebsk, like in these three portraits. Perhaps his studio was elevated, looking down on a street.
A beautiful portrait of a blind violinist. Perhaps with his sister.
Impressive young man.
The Characters
Everyone knows a man like that. Not just because he is a redhead. This is a type. Painted in 1925.
This is called Divorce or Get. Again, every character plays their role so perfectly. Down to the yentas behind the door. Regal beis din. “I am just writing this down” young man, the weight of the decision not on his shoulders.
Supper, again a type. A man thinking long thoughts…
This is a portrait of cantonist, Iliya Leib Itzkovitch. This man was in the army for so long, he now looks like a goy.
From a reading newspapers series. The young cobbler already reads in Russian.
Yehuda Pen painted this yid thinking into infinity. There are no more Jews like that, but we still remember, we have seen this man.
See comment above.
Toothache.
Instantly recognizable. A Talmid Chochom. 1905 (can’t see exactly the date).
Instantly recognizable. A baal agole. Ha, that’s the name I gave this painting, but I think it fits.
Shabbes Afternoon.
Petitioning a Rov.
The old world is walking away…
The end
Self-portrait. Yehuda Pen, 1922. In many paintings of Yudel Pen, there is a second layer of portraits in the background, interesting to know who are they, especially in self-portrait. Maybe his mother in the upper-right corner. I am told the man on the left is sadly Chagall. Why, sadly, think about it…
Malach Hamoves calling a man. A table looks like a mini painting. There is a notebook with an ink and a pen. A clock and a taste of orange. And the death is calling.
Self-portrait. Yehuda Pen, 1925. A muse is playing the harp, looking at malach hamoves who is playing a flute behind Yehuda Pen. Again, there is a second layer of portraits in the background. Possibly, a woman he loved in the upper-right corner. A sculpture of Venus representing beauty. Like in the Rembrandt, the painting only the back of the canvas.
On March 1st, 1937, Yehuda Pen was murdered in his house. This is the photo of the crime scene. The ax that he was murdered with, laying next to the body. Yehuda Pen was 83 years old. There are several theories to the murder. From relatives who were after his paintings to a jealous husband who didn’t like that Yehuda Pen had a painting of his wife, whom he used as a model. Knowing that it was 1937, the most likely killers are still the NKVD. One of the reasons NKVD murdered Pen is that he was thinking out loud about how to move his painting abroad. Since “no one in the CCCP needs them”.
The instruments of the crime. They are dull, so it must have been painful.
The funeral of Yehuda Pen in Vitebsk. March 1937.
Yehuda Pen in his studio. One of the terrible predicaments that can befall an artist is not to have a market for the paintings. You can see that the legacy was immense. Without even family to inherit the paintings for an artist, it is worse than death. But here today, we remember and love Yudel Pen! We call back the lost world.