Featured 1953 Irving Amen Woodcut "Chanukah"

I found this Irving Amen woodcut at one of our local consignment shops and I thought I would share some pics. Irving Amen is one of the 1st artists I collected when I started 20+ years ago. Mid Century woodcuts are one of my favorite areas of collecting. I have 2 other woodcuts by the artist that I have on display in the house. It is nice to have an early piece by the artist and I think the image is very pleasing. I have also included a picture of a little catalog that I purchased a number of years ago.

 

Pleasing indeed. And seasonal.

Debora

 

That’s really interesting to me. I was going to make a correction before I saw that the artist named it Chanukah except that it isn’t unless I’m totally missing something which is always a possibility. The menorah in the print (Hebrew for candlestick) is a Shabbat menorah to be used on Friday nights. It has 7 candlesticks and was the menorah in the ancient temple in Jerusalem. A Chanukah menorah has 9 candle holders-4 on each side to commemorate the 8 days that the oils stayed lit (although there was supposedly only enough oil for one day) when the Maccabees revolted against the Greeks. One candle is lit for each day by the shamash which is the 9th candle-the attendant candle.

Chanukah is usually around Christmas time (this year it’s Nov. 28-Dec 6 so this year it’s a bit earlier) and I’d better go get my Fish menorah (artist piece) down!

 

I was thinking the same thing. That's a 7-branch menorah rather than the 9 you need for Chanukkah. I've seen the chamesh made separately on older ones since it's the helper and has to move around. This Gentile needs to "fish" hers out too, for a zoom service group lighting on the 28th.

 

Menorahs come in all sorts of goofy shapes. This is somewhere about mid-goof.

 

I think it’s more toward at least 3/4 goof on the goof scale although definitely not as goofy as the one i gifted to a friend’s daughter which had been gifted to me in the 90s. It was a turquoise striped cut steel cat and the head and tail were on a coil so they bobbed. Candlesticks over the back. I gifted it when I found the fish which was more me since i’m definitely a dog over cat person although i do like cats but have never had one. If I ever find a poodle menorah I’m going for it.

 

Not if I get that poodle menorah first. LOL

 

You’d better have a poodle if you’re going to beat me out!

 

I had a poodle but he is long gone. I miss him so... that itty bitty fella.

Not a poodle but a doggie menorah on etsy
https://www.etsy.com/listing/109840...dachshund?ref=shop_home_active_58&pro=1&frs=1

 

I’m still cracking up about that print as Irving Amen was Jewish. You’d think he’d know the difference. Artistic license I guess, but it wouldn’t have been a compositional compromise to cut the correct one.

 

Very true.

 

So cute! They all seem to be Doxies for the long back LOL.This guy is my 4th. We said we were done and I cried for a month when we lost our last one last winter-got this guy last March. Just get me through puppyhood-it’s been a bear…oops poodle…

 

Get another bitty Pearl-there are so many in need of homes. We were going to go to a breeder but ours was a very young rehome and I felt better about doing that.

 

My apt building doesn't allow us to have dogs anymore. We can have cats, but I am not a cat person, I am terrified of cats.

I am glad you found another doggie to fill your home with love again. These dogs steal our hearts.

 

Thanks so much. It was a fight. My husband was done. We’re probably too old to have a puppy but it’s done and we’ve made sure arrangements are in place for him should he outlive us. Two sets of friends in their 50s both say they’d love to have him if life goes that way.

 

We need you and your hubbie to stick around. JMHO but pets that are loving add time to our lives.

I lost my itty bitty poodle as I held him in my arms. The only saving grace was that he was cradled as he passed on. But it was a moment I will never forget. We had just left the vet's office and we were sitting in the car about to pull away and go home when he left us. He could not be saved, it was fast but brutal to be a part of.

 

In my next life I think I’m going for a parrot or a giant tortoise. Dogs just don’t live long enough and I still cry over all 5 that have passed over my life.

 

That was my guess, I suspect he made a mistake laying out the design. He didn’t leave enough room and found out he was at the edge of the block.

 

I don’t buy that but it doesn’t matter. It really is an oddball error but he could have easily corrected it by just titling it Shabbat instead.