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Irvin Ungar

December 18, 2023

Irvin Ungar (born 1948) is an American former pulpit rabbi and antiquarian bookseller, considered the foremost expert[1][2] on the artist Arthur Szyk. Ungar is credited as “the man behind the Szyk renaissance”[3] who pulled Szyk “out of obscurity”[4] through scholarship, exhibitions, and publications spanning nearly three decades.[5]

Irvin Ungar
Born
Irvin D. Ungar

(1948-12-10) December 10, 1948 (age 75)
Occupations
  • Pulpit rabbi (1974 – 1987)
  • CEO of Historicana (1987 – present)
  • Curator of The Arthur Szyk Society (2001 – 2017)
Notable workJustice Illuminated: The Art of Arthur Szyk (1998), The Szyk Haggadah and Freedom Illuminated: Understanding the Szyk Haggadah (2008), Arthur Szyk: Soldier in Art (2017)
Awards2008 Hemlock Award of Excellence, 2012 PubWest Silver Award, 2017 National Jewish Book Award
Websiteszyk.com

Early life and education edit

Ungar was born in 1948 in Trenton, New Jersey and graduated from Trenton Central High School in 1966. After receiving his B.A. from Washington & Jefferson College in 1970, Ungar then attended rabbinical school, obtaining both his Rabbinic Ordination from the Academy for Jewish Religion and an M.A. in Education from New York University in 1974. While serving as the rabbi at Temple Sinai in Forest Hills, New York (1974 – 1980), Ungar earned his Pastoral Counseling Degree from the Postgraduate Center for Mental Health and his Master of Sacred Theology (S.T.M.) from New York Theological Seminary. Ungar moved to Burlingame, California in 1980 to serve as a rabbi for Peninsula Temple Sholom. During his seven years as a rabbi in Burlingame, Ungar also wrote opinion pieces on social and religious issues for the San Mateo County Times.[6]

Historicana edit

In 1987, Ungar founded Historicana (known as Holy Land Treasures from 1987 to 1991), becoming an antiquarian book dealer specializing in historic Judaica.[7] In 1991, Historicana became a member of the Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America. Notable items that Ungar owned and sold over the years include Anne Frank’s “Forget Me Not” autograph inscription;[8] the original handwritten draft in Hebrew of Martin Buber’s 1939 letter to Mahatma Gandhi regarding a two-state solution in Palestine;[9] a rare Theodor Herzl autograph letter, dated November 1900, stating a plan to “bring the cause of Zionism before the English Parliament”;[10] and a letter signed by both King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, dated 1492, on the confiscation of Jewish property and the expulsion of Jews from Spain.[11] In addition, Historicana produced a series of American Judaica catalogues, as well as one-off catalogues for specialty collections. These included a Zion anniversary catalogue, The Birth of a Nation,[12] commemorating the 50th anniversary of the State of Israel; and the Collector’s Haggadah Catalogue: 1695 – Present,[13] which gave prospective buyers information and prices on almost 1500 Haggadot that Ungar owned at one time.

Ungar's increasing interest in Arthur Szyk changed the direction and scope of Historicana in key ways. In 1999, Historicana became a small publishing imprint to reprint the exhibition catalogue from “Justice Illuminated: The Art of Arthur Szyk,”[14] a Spertus Museum exhibition that Ungar had curated, which was the first major Szyk museum exhibition in decades.[15] From there, Historicana served as publisher or co-publisher for several books about Szyk. In addition to operating Historicana, Ungar amassed the largest single collection of artwork by Szyk to date:[16] The Arthur Szyk Collection, which was purchased in 2017 by the University of California, Berkeley through a monetary gift from philanthropist Tad Taube.[17]

Arthur Szyk edit

Ungar first encountered Arthur Szyk's art in 1975, when he purchased a copy of The Haggadah illustrated by Szyk from Bloch Publishing Company in New York.[18] At the time, Szyk was relatively unknown,[19] having fallen into obscurity[20] after his death at age 57 in 1951.

 
Arthur Szyk, The Family at the Seder from The Haggadah. Łódź, 1935.

Ungar's interest in Arthur Szyk began in the late 1980s, following his purchase of Szyk's Holiday Series prints[21] at an antique shop in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Shortly afterward, Ungar met another antiquarian, Hallam Webber, at a Washington, D.C. book fair. Webber later introduced Ungar to George Gooche, a fellow Szyk collector and founder of The Arthur Szyk Society.[22] Prior to meeting Ungar, Gooche had been in contact with Arthur Szyk’s daughter, Alexandra Szyk Bracie, regarding his goal to preserve Szyk’s memory. Bracie ultimately sold Gooche Arthur Szyk’s personal archives, which included his wife Julia Szyk’s memoirs.[22] Gooche sold the archives to Ungar in 1997.

The Arthur Szyk Society edit

George Gooche founded The Arthur Szyk Society in 1991, establishing the nonprofit in Orange County, California, “to disseminate the artist's work and ideals.”[23] In 1997, Ungar assumed responsibility for the Society and moved its headquarters to Burlingame, establishing a new Board of Trustees. In his new role as President of the Society, and later as Society Curator, Ungar increased Szyk’s visibility over a 20-year period through lectures, newsletters, art history papers, and exhibitions, including the traveling exhibition “Justice Illuminated: The Art of Arthur Szyk.”[24]

Lectures and addresses edit

Ungar's first public lecture on Arthur Szyk took place at Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 1994, on the hundredth anniversary of the artist’s birth.[6] On three separate occasions,[25][26][27] Ungar has been invited to speak on Szyk at the Library of Congress. Ungar also delivered the keynote address at the opening of “Arthur Szyk — Drawing Against National Socialism and Terror”[28] at the Deutsches Historisches Museum in Berlin, and for the opening of the “Justice Illuminated” traveling exhibition[29] at the Jewish Historical Institute in Warsaw, Poland, as part of the Arthur Szyk Society’s Renaissance Tour. Additionally, Ungar has been invited to speak at numerous universities and institutions in the United States and abroad.

Publications and media edit

Ungar authored his first essay on Szyk in 1999 in Biblio magazine, with co-author and Szyk biographer Joseph P. Ansell.[30] His other notable essays include an examination of Nostra aetate and De profundis for Moment magazine;[31] Szyk as an “artist for freedom” for Washington’s Rebuke to Bigotry;[32] Szyk’s legacy as a “fighter for justice” for Dziedzictwo Polsko-Zydowskiego Artysty (The Legacy of the Polish-Jewish Artist);[33] a history of The Szyk Haggadah for Freedom Illuminated;[34] Szyk’s Holocaust art for The Holocaust and Nostra Aetate: Toward a Greater Understanding;[35] and a look at Szyk’s role as Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s “soldier in art” for the Norman Rockwell Museum’s traveling exhibition, “Enduring Ideals: Rockwell, Roosevelt & the Four Freedoms.”[36] Ungar was interviewed by Rabbi Mark S. Golub in a one-hour program for the Jewish Broadcasting Service,[37] and was profiled by Steven Heller for the American Institute of Graphic Arts[38] and The Atlantic.[39]

Through the Historicana imprint, Ungar published, edited, and/or produced several books about Arthur Szyk, including Justice Illuminated: The Art of Arthur Szyk (co-publisher and author);[40] The Szyk Haggadah[41] and its companion volume Freedom Illuminated: Understanding The Szyk Haggadah (publisher, co-editor with Byron Sherwin, contributor);[42] Heroes of Ancient Israel: The Playing Card Art of Arthur Szyk (publisher);[43] Arthur Szyk: Soldier in Art (co-publisher, editor, and contributor),[44] which won a 2017 National Jewish Book Award in the category of Visual Arts,[45] and Arthur Szyk Preserved (co-editor with Samantha Lyons).[46] In addition to books, Historicana produced documentary films about Arthur Szyk. In collaboration with filmmaker Jim Ruxin, these films include “Arthur Szyk: Soldier in Art,”[47][48] “In Every Generation: Remaking the Szyk Haggadah,”[49] and “Soldier in Art: Arthur Szyk—America’s Weapon Against Nazi Germany.”[50]

Exhibitions edit

Several museum exhibitions played a significant role in Ungar's goal to bring Szyk back into the mainstream. As guest curator or consultant, Ungar facilitated exhibitions of Szyk's art at Chicago's Spertus Museum (1998 – 1999);[15] the Library of Congress (1999 – 2000);[51] the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. (2002);[52] the Deutsches Historisches Museum in Berlin (2008 – 2009);[53][54] Palace of the Legion of Honor in San Francisco (2010 – 2011);[55] the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco (2014);[56] and the New-York Historical Society in New York City (2017 – 2018).[57]

Byron Sherwin and The Szyk Haggadah edit

Rabbi Byron Sherwin, a renowned Jewish theologian, scholar, and author, collaborated closely with Ungar on several key projects. As Spertus Institute Distinguished Service Professor and Director of Doctoral Programs,[58] Sherwin worked with Ungar on the 1998 Spertus Museum exhibition, “Justice Illuminated: The Art of Arthur Szyk,” and wrote the introduction for the accompanying book of the same title.[59] For The Arthur Szyk Society’s Seymour Fromer Traveling Exhibition Program, also entitled “Justice Illuminated: The Art of Arthur Szyk,” Sherwin wrote the panel text for the traveling photo-mural panels and the accompanying study guide.[60]

Sherwin's most significant collaboration with Ungar was the creation of a new edition of Szyk's Haggadah, originally published in 1940. Published in 2008 as a limited edition,[61] and republished in collaboration with Abrams Books in 2011 as a trade edition,[5] Historicana's The Szyk Haggadah was reproduced entirely from Szyk’s original artwork,[62] the first Szyk Haggadah reproduction since 1940 to do so.[63] For The Szyk Haggadah, Sherwin provided a new English translation from the original Hebrew text and wrote the commentary.[41] Sherwin also served as co-editor for The Szyk Haggadah's companion volume, Freedom Illuminated: Understanding the Szyk Haggadah.[42] Several cultural institutions—including the Vatican,[64] the Metropolitan Museum of Art,[65] the British Library,[64] the Library of Congress,[66] and Princeton University[67]—hold a copy of The Szyk Haggadah and Freedom Illuminated in their special collections.

Sale of the collection and Arthur Szyk: Soldier in Art edit

In 2017, Tad Taube of Taube Philanthropies provided the funding to UC Berkeley to purchase The Arthur Szyk Collection from Ungar for the Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life. The $10.1 million gift was "the largest single monetary gift to acquire art in the long history of UC Berkeley."[17] The collection consisted of 450 original paintings, illustrations, and sketches spanning Szyk's career, as well as thousands of items from Szyk's personal archives.[17]

A few months after the sale of the collection, Ungar co-published, with GILES of London, the book Arthur Szyk: Soldier in Art to coincide with the New-York Historical Society exhibition of the same name. Szyk and Ungar received considerable media coverage in 2017 and early 2018,[17][68][69][70][71] thanks in part to press surrounding the sale of the collection, the New York City exhibition, and the Soldier in Art book—which won a National Jewish Book Award from the Jewish Book Council.[72] The Jewish Review of Books notes in a Winter 2018 article that Szyk's “reputation is clearly on the rise again.”[73]

References edit

  1. ^ Gloster, Rob (April 3, 2017). "Work of Szyk, whose romantic art glorified 20th-century Jewry, comes to Berkeley". J. The Jewish News of Northern California. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
  2. ^ Schwartz, Yitzchak (29 November 2017). ""Arthur Szyk: Soldier in Art" at The New York Historical Society". JHIBlog. Journal of the History of Ideas. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
  3. ^ Heller, Steven (May 1, 2015). "Arthur Szyk, Laureate". Print. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
  4. ^ Pucciarelli, Alexandra (September 19, 2017). "Arthur Szyk, a Jewish Master Almost Lost to History, is Rediscovered". Tablet. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
  5. ^ a b Kahn, Eve (March 10, 2011). "Arthur Szyk's Haggadah and Singapore's Sunken Arab Treasure". The New York Times. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
  6. ^ a b "Szyk Expert Irvin Ungar: Curriculum Vitae". Szyk.com. Historicana. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
  7. ^ Gluck, Peggy Isaak (November 20, 1987). "Peninsula rabbi opens new antique Judaica business". Northern California Jewish Bulletin.
  8. ^ Gluck, Peggy Isaak (April 6, 1990). "Area dealer buys a rare Anne Frank signature". Northern California Jewish Bulletin. 139 (3): 1, 34–35.
  9. ^ Ungar, Irvin (November 1997). The Birth of a Nation: The Jewish People and the Land of Israel: Zion Anniversary Catalogue. Burlingame, CA: Historicana.
  10. ^ Ungar, Irvin (August 1995). Masterpieces of Judaica. Burlingame, CA: Historicana.
  11. ^ Ungar, Irvin (February 2002). Important Judaica including National Treasures of the Jewish People. Burlingame, CA: Historicana.
  12. ^ Ungar, Irvin (November 1997). The Birth of a Nation. Burlingame, CA: Historicana.
  13. ^ Ungar, Irvin (March 1994). Collector's Haggadah Catalogue: 1695 – Present. Burlingame, CA: Historicana.
  14. ^ Justice illuminated: the art of Arthur Szyk. OCLC 43100953. Retrieved 6 April 2018 – via WorldCat.org: The World's Largest Library Catalog.
  15. ^ a b Artner, Alan G. (August 9, 1998). "Critics' Choice: Art: "Justice Illuminated: The Art of Arthur Szyk"". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
  16. ^ Dolsten, Josefin (April 4, 2017). "UC Berkeley acquires huge Arthur Szyk collection". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
  17. ^ a b c d Whiting, Sam (April 3, 2017). "Magnes museum gets big collection of Jewish art, thanks to Taube". SFGate. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
  18. ^ Ungar, Irvin (2017). "Behind the Great Art and the Great Messages Stands Arthur Szyk, the Great Man". In Ungar, Irvin (ed.). Arthur Szyk: Soldier in Art. London: GILES, in association with Historicana and The Arthur Szyk Society. p. 11. ISBN 978-1-911282-08-2.
  19. ^ Heller, Steven (2017). "Preface". In Ungar, Irvin (ed.). Arthur Szyk: Soldier in Art. London: GILES, in association with Historicana and The Arthur Szyk Society. p. 9. ISBN 978-1-911282-08-2.
  20. ^ Goldmann, A.J. (April 20, 2009). "New Life for Arthur Szyk". Forward. The Forward Association, Inc. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
  21. ^ Heller, Steven (February 10, 2012). "Arthur Szyk (pronounced schick)". Print. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
  22. ^ a b Epstein, Benjamin (December 24, 1993). "Illuminated by Arthur Szyk's Art: Exhibit: Serendipity leads five O.C. friends to collect the works and papers of the Polish illustrator, whose 'U.N. Series' is on view in Placentia". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
  23. ^ Correspondent, J. (January 21, 2000). "Burlingame Judaica expert working to make Arthur Szyk famous again". J. The Jewish News of Northern California. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
  24. ^ "Justice Illuminated: The Art of Arthur Szyk". Szyk.com. Historicana. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
  25. ^ "The Fabric of America through the Art of Arthur Szyk". Library of Congress. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
  26. ^ "Arthur Szyk and His Passover Haggadah". Library of Congress. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
  27. ^ "'Arthur Szyk: Artist for Freedom' to open at the Library of Congress December 9, 1999". The Arthur Szyk Society Newsletter. 2 (1): 1. Fall 1999. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
  28. ^ "World-Class Szyk Berlin Exhibition an International Success". The Arthur Szyk Society Newsletter. 9: 1. Winter 2008–2009.
  29. ^ "Szyk Exhibit Travels to Three Cities in Poland". The Arthur Szyk Society Newsletter. 6: 1. Spring 2005.
  30. ^ Ungar, Irvin; Joseph P. Ansell (February 1999). "Justice Illuminated: The Art of Arthur Szyk". Biblio. 4 (2).
  31. ^ Ungar, Irvin; Allison Claire Chang (October 21, 2015). Levin, Sala (ed.). "Nostra Aetate at 50: Jewish Art, Christian Conscience". Moment.
  32. ^ Ungar, Irvin (2015). "Arthur Szyk: Artist for Freedom". In Strom, Adam (ed.). Washington's Rebuke to Bigotry. Brookline, Massachusetts: Facing History And Ourselves. pp. 149–164. ISBN 978-1940457116.
  33. ^ Ungar, Irvin (2011). "Building Bridges: The Legacy of Polish-Jewish Artist Arthur Szyk, Fighter for Justice and Freedom". In Skotnicki, Aleksander B. (ed.). Dziedzictwo Polsko-Zydowskiego Artysty (The Legacy of the Polish-Jewish Artist). Krakow: Stradomskie Centrum Dialogu.
  34. ^ Ungar, Irvin (2008). "Telling the Story: A History of The Szyk Haggadah". In Ungar, Irvin; Sherwin, Byron (eds.). Freedom Illuminated : Understanding the Szyk Haggadah. Burlingame, CA: Historicana. pp. 173–205.
  35. ^ Ungar, Irvin (2017). "Injustice Illuminated: The Holocaust Art of Arthur Szyk". In Rittner, Carol; Ronda, Tara (eds.). The Holocaust and Nostra Aetate: Toward a Greater Understanding. Greensburg, PA: National Catholic Center for Holocaust Education, Seton Hill University. ISBN 978-0983057123.
  36. ^ Ungar, Irvin (2018). "Arthur Szyk: Immigrant Artist as F.D.R.'s Soldier in Art". In Plunkett, Stephanie Haboush; Kimble, James (eds.). Enduring Ideals: Rockwell, Roosevelt, and the Four Freedoms. New York: Abbeville Press. ISBN 978-0789213006.
  37. ^ "L'Chayim: The Art of Arthur Szyk". YouTube.com. Jewish Broadcasting Service. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
  38. ^ Heller, Steven (November 24, 2010). "Illuminating Arthur Szyk: An Interview with Irvin Ungar". AIGA. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
  39. ^ Heller, Steven (May 29, 2014). "The Almost-Forgotten Jewish Artist Who Propagandized Against Hitler". The Atlantic. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
  40. ^ Ungar, Irvin (1999). . Justice Illuminated: The Art of Arthur Szyk (Second ed.). Berkeley, CA and Burlingame, CA: Frog, Ltd. and Historicana. ISBN 1583940103.
  41. ^ a b Ungar, Irvin; Sherwin, Byron, eds. (2008). The Szyk Haggadah (Deluxe and Premier ed.). Burlingame, CA: Historicana. ISBN 978-0979954603.
  42. ^ a b Ungar, Irvin; Sherwin, Byron, eds. (2008). Freedom Illuminated: Understanding The Szyk Haggadah (Limited ed.). Burlingame, CA: Historicana. ISBN 978-0979954627.
  43. ^ Chang, Allison Claire (2011). Heroes of Ancient Israel: The Playing Card Art of Arthur Szyk. Burlingame, CA: Historicana. ISBN 978-0979954634.
  44. ^ Ungar, Irvin; Michael Berenbaum; Tom L. Freudenheim; James Kettlewell (2017). Ungar, Irvin (ed.). Arthur Szyk: Soldier in Art (Hardcover ed.). London: GILES, in association with Historicana and The Arthur Szyk Society. ISBN 978-1911282082.
  45. ^ . Jewish Book Council. Archived from the original on 2020-06-05. Retrieved 2020-01-25.
  46. ^ Ungar, Irvin; Lyons, Samantha, eds. (2023). Arthur Szyk Preserved: Institutional Collections of Original Art. GILES. ISBN 978-1913875404.
  47. ^ "Arthur Szyk: Soldier in Art (2006)". Imdb.com. Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
  48. ^ "Arthur Szyk: Soldier in Art". YouTube.com. Historicana. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
  49. ^ In every generation: remaking the Szyk Haggadah. WorldCat.org: The World's Largest Library Catalog. OCLC 401340832. Retrieved 9 April 2018 – via WorldCat.org.
  50. ^ "Szyk Documentary to Open in Australia". The Arthur Szyk Society Newsletter. 13: 14. February 2014. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
  51. ^ "Arthur Szyk: Artist for Freedom Online Exhibition". Loc.gov. Library of Congress. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
  52. ^ "Online Exhibition: The Art and Politics of Arthur Szyk". Ushmm.org. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
  53. ^ Kimmelman, Michael (September 7, 2008). "A Caricaturist, but No Funny Stuff Here". The New York Times. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
  54. ^ "Arthur Szyk: Drawing Against National Socialism and Terror". Dhm.de. Deutsches Historisches Museum. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
  55. ^ "Arthur Szyk: Miniature Paintings and Modern Illuminations". legionofhonor.famsf.org. Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
  56. ^ "Arthur Szyk and the Art of the Haggadah". Thecjm.org. The Contemporary Jewish Museum. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
  57. ^ "Arthur Szyk: Soldier in Art". Nyhistory.org. New-York Historical Society Museum & Library. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
  58. ^ "Rabbi Dr. Byron Sherwin (1946-2015)". Spertus.edu. Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  59. ^ Sherwin, Byron (1999). "Introduction". Justice Illuminated: The Art of Arthur Szyk (Second ed.). Berkeley, CA and Burlingame, CA: Frog, Ltd. and Historicana. pp. 6–7. ISBN 1583940103.
  60. ^ Justice illuminated - the art of Arthur Szyk: a study-guide by Byron L. Sherwin. WorldCat.org: The World's Largest Library Catalog. OCLC 838648707. Retrieved 10 April 2018. {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
  61. ^ "The Szyk Haggadah: Overview". Szyk.com. Historicana. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  62. ^ Heller, Steven (February 2008). "Szyk Transit" (PDF). Print: 104. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  63. ^ The Szyk Haggadah. Abrams Books. April 2011. ISBN 9780810997530. Retrieved 10 April 2018. {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
  64. ^ a b "The Szyk Haggadah: Institutions". Szyk.com. Historicana. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  65. ^ "The Szyk Haggadah". Metmuseum.org. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  66. ^ Fischer, Audrey. "Headline Haggadot: Two Rare Passover Texts Published In Facsimile". Loc.gov. Library of Congress. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  67. ^ Melby, Julie. "The Szyk Haggadah". Princeton.edu. Princeton University. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  68. ^ Heinrich, Will (September 8, 2017). "The New Season of Art: Listings for the Fall Season and Beyond". The New York Times. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  69. ^ "Goings On About Town: Arthur Szyk: Soldier in Art". The New Yorker. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  70. ^ Hirt-Manheimer, Aron (October 13, 2017). "Soldier in Art: Exploring the Activist Works of Arthur Szyk". ReformJudaism.org. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  71. ^ Hoberman, J. (October 16, 2017). "Arthur Szyk: Jewish Heroes and Nazi Monsters". Tablet. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  72. ^ Paull, Laura (January 10, 2018). "Three local authors honored by 2017 National Jewish Book Awards". J. The Jewish News of Northern California. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  73. ^ Cole, Diane (Winter 2018). "Ink and Blood". Jewish Review of Books. Retrieved 11 April 2018.

December 18, 2023
irvin, ungar, born, 1948, american, former, pulpit, rabbi, antiquarian, bookseller, considered, foremost, expert, artist, arthur, szyk, ungar, credited, behind, szyk, renaissance, pulled, szyk, obscurity, through, scholarship, exhibitions, publications, spanni. Irvin Ungar born 1948 is an American former pulpit rabbi and antiquarian bookseller considered the foremost expert 1 2 on the artist Arthur Szyk Ungar is credited as the man behind the Szyk renaissance 3 who pulled Szyk out of obscurity 4 through scholarship exhibitions and publications spanning nearly three decades 5 Irvin UngarBornIrvin D Ungar 1948 12 10 December 10 1948 age 75 OccupationsPulpit rabbi 1974 1987 CEO of Historicana 1987 present Curator of The Arthur Szyk Society 2001 2017 Notable workJustice Illuminated The Art of Arthur Szyk 1998 The Szyk Haggadah and Freedom Illuminated Understanding the Szyk Haggadah 2008 Arthur Szyk Soldier in Art 2017 Awards2008 Hemlock Award of Excellence 2012 PubWest Silver Award 2017 National Jewish Book AwardWebsiteszyk wbr com Contents 1 Early life and education 2 Historicana 3 Arthur Szyk 3 1 The Arthur Szyk Society 3 2 Lectures and addresses 3 3 Publications and media 3 4 Exhibitions 3 5 Byron Sherwin and The Szyk Haggadah 3 6 Sale of the collection and Arthur Szyk Soldier in Art 4 ReferencesEarly life and education editUngar was born in 1948 in Trenton New Jersey and graduated from Trenton Central High School in 1966 After receiving his B A from Washington amp Jefferson College in 1970 Ungar then attended rabbinical school obtaining both his Rabbinic Ordination from the Academy for Jewish Religion and an M A in Education from New York University in 1974 While serving as the rabbi at Temple Sinai in Forest Hills New York 1974 1980 Ungar earned his Pastoral Counseling Degree from the Postgraduate Center for Mental Health and his Master of Sacred Theology S T M from New York Theological Seminary Ungar moved to Burlingame California in 1980 to serve as a rabbi for Peninsula Temple Sholom During his seven years as a rabbi in Burlingame Ungar also wrote opinion pieces on social and religious issues for the San Mateo County Times 6 Historicana editIn 1987 Ungar founded Historicana known as Holy Land Treasures from 1987 to 1991 becoming an antiquarian book dealer specializing in historic Judaica 7 In 1991 Historicana became a member of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America Notable items that Ungar owned and sold over the years include Anne Frank s Forget Me Not autograph inscription 8 the original handwritten draft in Hebrew of Martin Buber s 1939 letter to Mahatma Gandhi regarding a two state solution in Palestine 9 a rare Theodor Herzl autograph letter dated November 1900 stating a plan to bring the cause of Zionism before the English Parliament 10 and a letter signed by both King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella dated 1492 on the confiscation of Jewish property and the expulsion of Jews from Spain 11 In addition Historicana produced a series of American Judaica catalogues as well as one off catalogues for specialty collections These included a Zion anniversary catalogue The Birth of a Nation 12 commemorating the 50th anniversary of the State of Israel and the Collector s Haggadah Catalogue 1695 Present 13 which gave prospective buyers information and prices on almost 1500 Haggadot that Ungar owned at one time Ungar s increasing interest in Arthur Szyk changed the direction and scope of Historicana in key ways In 1999 Historicana became a small publishing imprint to reprint the exhibition catalogue from Justice Illuminated The Art of Arthur Szyk 14 a Spertus Museum exhibition that Ungar had curated which was the first major Szyk museum exhibition in decades 15 From there Historicana served as publisher or co publisher for several books about Szyk In addition to operating Historicana Ungar amassed the largest single collection of artwork by Szyk to date 16 The Arthur Szyk Collection which was purchased in 2017 by the University of California Berkeley through a monetary gift from philanthropist Tad Taube 17 Arthur Szyk editUngar first encountered Arthur Szyk s art in 1975 when he purchased a copy of The Haggadah illustrated by Szyk from Bloch Publishing Company in New York 18 At the time Szyk was relatively unknown 19 having fallen into obscurity 20 after his death at age 57 in 1951 nbsp Arthur Szyk The Family at the Seder from The Haggadah Lodz 1935 Ungar s interest in Arthur Szyk began in the late 1980s following his purchase of Szyk s Holiday Series prints 21 at an antique shop in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Shortly afterward Ungar met another antiquarian Hallam Webber at a Washington D C book fair Webber later introduced Ungar to George Gooche a fellow Szyk collector and founder of The Arthur Szyk Society 22 Prior to meeting Ungar Gooche had been in contact with Arthur Szyk s daughter Alexandra Szyk Bracie regarding his goal to preserve Szyk s memory Bracie ultimately sold Gooche Arthur Szyk s personal archives which included his wife Julia Szyk s memoirs 22 Gooche sold the archives to Ungar in 1997 The Arthur Szyk Society edit George Gooche founded The Arthur Szyk Society in 1991 establishing the nonprofit in Orange County California to disseminate the artist s work and ideals 23 In 1997 Ungar assumed responsibility for the Society and moved its headquarters to Burlingame establishing a new Board of Trustees In his new role as President of the Society and later as Society Curator Ungar increased Szyk s visibility over a 20 year period through lectures newsletters art history papers and exhibitions including the traveling exhibition Justice Illuminated The Art of Arthur Szyk 24 Lectures and addresses edit Ungar s first public lecture on Arthur Szyk took place at Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 1994 on the hundredth anniversary of the artist s birth 6 On three separate occasions 25 26 27 Ungar has been invited to speak on Szyk at the Library of Congress Ungar also delivered the keynote address at the opening of Arthur Szyk Drawing Against National Socialism and Terror 28 at the Deutsches Historisches Museum in Berlin and for the opening of the Justice Illuminated traveling exhibition 29 at the Jewish Historical Institute in Warsaw Poland as part of the Arthur Szyk Society s Renaissance Tour Additionally Ungar has been invited to speak at numerous universities and institutions in the United States and abroad Publications and media edit Ungar authored his first essay on Szyk in 1999 in Biblio magazine with co author and Szyk biographer Joseph P Ansell 30 His other notable essays include an examination of Nostra aetate and De profundis for Moment magazine 31 Szyk as an artist for freedom for Washington s Rebuke to Bigotry 32 Szyk s legacy as a fighter for justice for Dziedzictwo Polsko Zydowskiego Artysty The Legacy of the Polish Jewish Artist 33 a history of The Szyk Haggadah for Freedom Illuminated 34 Szyk s Holocaust art for The Holocaust and Nostra Aetate Toward a Greater Understanding 35 and a look at Szyk s role as Franklin Delano Roosevelt s soldier in art for the Norman Rockwell Museum s traveling exhibition Enduring Ideals Rockwell Roosevelt amp the Four Freedoms 36 Ungar was interviewed by Rabbi Mark S Golub in a one hour program for the Jewish Broadcasting Service 37 and was profiled by Steven Heller for the American Institute of Graphic Arts 38 and The Atlantic 39 Through the Historicana imprint Ungar published edited and or produced several books about Arthur Szyk including Justice Illuminated The Art of Arthur Szyk co publisher and author 40 The Szyk Haggadah 41 and its companion volume Freedom Illuminated Understanding The Szyk Haggadah publisher co editor with Byron Sherwin contributor 42 Heroes of Ancient Israel The Playing Card Art of Arthur Szyk publisher 43 Arthur Szyk Soldier in Art co publisher editor and contributor 44 which won a 2017 National Jewish Book Award in the category of Visual Arts 45 and Arthur Szyk Preserved co editor with Samantha Lyons 46 In addition to books Historicana produced documentary films about Arthur Szyk In collaboration with filmmaker Jim Ruxin these films include Arthur Szyk Soldier in Art 47 48 In Every Generation Remaking the Szyk Haggadah 49 and Soldier in Art Arthur Szyk America s Weapon Against Nazi Germany 50 Exhibitions edit Several museum exhibitions played a significant role in Ungar s goal to bring Szyk back into the mainstream As guest curator or consultant Ungar facilitated exhibitions of Szyk s art at Chicago s Spertus Museum 1998 1999 15 the Library of Congress 1999 2000 51 the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D C 2002 52 the Deutsches Historisches Museum in Berlin 2008 2009 53 54 Palace of the Legion of Honor in San Francisco 2010 2011 55 the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco 2014 56 and the New York Historical Society in New York City 2017 2018 57 Byron Sherwin and The Szyk Haggadah edit Rabbi Byron Sherwin a renowned Jewish theologian scholar and author collaborated closely with Ungar on several key projects As Spertus Institute Distinguished Service Professor and Director of Doctoral Programs 58 Sherwin worked with Ungar on the 1998 Spertus Museum exhibition Justice Illuminated The Art of Arthur Szyk and wrote the introduction for the accompanying book of the same title 59 For The Arthur Szyk Society s Seymour Fromer Traveling Exhibition Program also entitled Justice Illuminated The Art of Arthur Szyk Sherwin wrote the panel text for the traveling photo mural panels and the accompanying study guide 60 Sherwin s most significant collaboration with Ungar was the creation of a new edition of Szyk s Haggadah originally published in 1940 Published in 2008 as a limited edition 61 and republished in collaboration with Abrams Books in 2011 as a trade edition 5 Historicana s The Szyk Haggadah was reproduced entirely from Szyk s original artwork 62 the first Szyk Haggadah reproduction since 1940 to do so 63 For The Szyk Haggadah Sherwin provided a new English translation from the original Hebrew text and wrote the commentary 41 Sherwin also served as co editor for The Szyk Haggadah s companion volume Freedom Illuminated Understanding the Szyk Haggadah 42 Several cultural institutions including the Vatican 64 the Metropolitan Museum of Art 65 the British Library 64 the Library of Congress 66 and Princeton University 67 hold a copy of The Szyk Haggadah and Freedom Illuminated in their special collections Sale of the collection and Arthur Szyk Soldier in Art edit In 2017 Tad Taube of Taube Philanthropies provided the funding to UC Berkeley to purchase The Arthur Szyk Collection from Ungar for the Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life The 10 1 million gift was the largest single monetary gift to acquire art in the long history of UC Berkeley 17 The collection consisted of 450 original paintings illustrations and sketches spanning Szyk s career as well as thousands of items from Szyk s personal archives 17 A few months after the sale of the collection Ungar co published with GILES of London the book Arthur Szyk Soldier in Art to coincide with the New York Historical Society exhibition of the same name Szyk and Ungar received considerable media coverage in 2017 and early 2018 17 68 69 70 71 thanks in part to press surrounding the sale of the collection the New York City exhibition and the Soldier in Art book which won a National Jewish Book Award from the Jewish Book Council 72 The Jewish Review of Books notes in a Winter 2018 article that Szyk s reputation is clearly on the rise again 73 References edit Gloster Rob April 3 2017 Work of Szyk whose romantic art glorified 20th century Jewry comes to Berkeley J The Jewish News of Northern California Retrieved 6 April 2018 Schwartz Yitzchak 29 November 2017 Arthur Szyk Soldier in Art at The New York Historical Society JHIBlog Journal of the History of Ideas Retrieved 6 April 2018 Heller Steven May 1 2015 Arthur Szyk Laureate Print Retrieved 6 April 2018 Pucciarelli Alexandra September 19 2017 Arthur Szyk a Jewish Master Almost Lost to History is Rediscovered Tablet Retrieved 6 April 2018 a b Kahn Eve March 10 2011 Arthur Szyk s Haggadah and Singapore s Sunken Arab Treasure The New York Times Retrieved 6 April 2018 a b Szyk Expert Irvin Ungar Curriculum Vitae Szyk com Historicana Retrieved 6 April 2018 Gluck Peggy Isaak November 20 1987 Peninsula rabbi opens new antique Judaica business Northern California Jewish Bulletin Gluck Peggy Isaak April 6 1990 Area dealer buys a rare Anne Frank signature Northern California Jewish Bulletin 139 3 1 34 35 Ungar Irvin November 1997 The Birth of a Nation The Jewish People and the Land of Israel Zion Anniversary Catalogue Burlingame CA Historicana Ungar Irvin August 1995 Masterpieces of Judaica Burlingame CA Historicana Ungar Irvin February 2002 Important Judaica including National Treasures of the Jewish People Burlingame CA Historicana Ungar Irvin November 1997 The Birth of a Nation Burlingame CA Historicana Ungar Irvin March 1994 Collector s Haggadah Catalogue 1695 Present Burlingame CA Historicana Justice illuminated the art of Arthur Szyk OCLC 43100953 Retrieved 6 April 2018 via WorldCat org The World s Largest Library Catalog a b Artner Alan G August 9 1998 Critics Choice Art Justice Illuminated The Art of Arthur Szyk Chicago Tribune Retrieved 6 April 2018 Dolsten Josefin April 4 2017 UC Berkeley acquires huge Arthur Szyk collection The Times of Israel Retrieved 6 April 2018 a b c d Whiting Sam April 3 2017 Magnes museum gets big collection of Jewish art thanks to Taube SFGate Retrieved 6 April 2018 Ungar Irvin 2017 Behind the Great Art and the Great Messages Stands Arthur Szyk the Great Man In Ungar Irvin ed Arthur Szyk Soldier in Art London GILES in association with Historicana and The Arthur Szyk Society p 11 ISBN 978 1 911282 08 2 Heller Steven 2017 Preface In Ungar Irvin ed Arthur Szyk Soldier in Art London GILES in association with Historicana and The Arthur Szyk Society p 9 ISBN 978 1 911282 08 2 Goldmann A J April 20 2009 New Life for Arthur Szyk Forward The Forward Association Inc Retrieved 6 April 2018 Heller Steven February 10 2012 Arthur Szyk pronounced schick Print Retrieved 9 April 2018 a b Epstein Benjamin December 24 1993 Illuminated by Arthur Szyk s Art Exhibit Serendipity leads five O C friends to collect the works and papers of the Polish illustrator whose U N Series is on view in Placentia Los Angeles Times Retrieved 9 April 2018 Correspondent J January 21 2000 Burlingame Judaica expert working to make Arthur Szyk famous again J The Jewish News of Northern California Retrieved 9 April 2018 Justice Illuminated The Art of Arthur Szyk Szyk com Historicana Retrieved 9 April 2018 The Fabric of America through the Art of Arthur Szyk Library of Congress Retrieved 9 April 2018 Arthur Szyk and His Passover Haggadah Library of Congress Retrieved 9 April 2018 Arthur Szyk Artist for Freedom to open at the Library of Congress December 9 1999 The Arthur Szyk Society Newsletter 2 1 1 Fall 1999 Retrieved 9 April 2018 World Class Szyk Berlin Exhibition an International Success The Arthur Szyk Society Newsletter 9 1 Winter 2008 2009 Szyk Exhibit Travels to Three Cities in Poland The Arthur Szyk Society Newsletter 6 1 Spring 2005 Ungar Irvin Joseph P Ansell February 1999 Justice Illuminated The Art of Arthur Szyk Biblio 4 2 Ungar Irvin Allison Claire Chang October 21 2015 Levin Sala ed Nostra Aetate at 50 Jewish Art Christian Conscience Moment Ungar Irvin 2015 Arthur Szyk Artist for Freedom In Strom Adam ed Washington s Rebuke to Bigotry Brookline Massachusetts Facing History And Ourselves pp 149 164 ISBN 978 1940457116 Ungar Irvin 2011 Building Bridges The Legacy of Polish Jewish Artist Arthur Szyk Fighter for Justice and Freedom In Skotnicki Aleksander B ed Dziedzictwo Polsko Zydowskiego Artysty The Legacy of the Polish Jewish Artist Krakow Stradomskie Centrum Dialogu Ungar Irvin 2008 Telling the Story A History of The Szyk Haggadah In Ungar Irvin Sherwin Byron eds Freedom Illuminated Understanding the Szyk Haggadah Burlingame CA Historicana pp 173 205 Ungar Irvin 2017 Injustice Illuminated The Holocaust Art of Arthur Szyk In Rittner Carol Ronda Tara eds The Holocaust and Nostra Aetate Toward a Greater Understanding Greensburg PA National Catholic Center for Holocaust Education Seton Hill University ISBN 978 0983057123 Ungar Irvin 2018 Arthur Szyk Immigrant Artist as F D R s Soldier in Art In Plunkett Stephanie Haboush Kimble James eds Enduring Ideals Rockwell Roosevelt and the Four Freedoms New York Abbeville Press ISBN 978 0789213006 L Chayim The Art of Arthur Szyk YouTube com Jewish Broadcasting Service Retrieved 9 April 2018 Heller Steven November 24 2010 Illuminating Arthur Szyk An Interview with Irvin Ungar AIGA Retrieved 9 April 2018 Heller Steven May 29 2014 The Almost Forgotten Jewish Artist Who Propagandized Against Hitler The Atlantic Retrieved 9 April 2018 Ungar Irvin 1999 Justice Illuminated The Art of Arthur Szyk Second ed Berkeley CA and Burlingame CA Frog Ltd and Historicana ISBN 1583940103 a b Ungar Irvin Sherwin Byron eds 2008 The Szyk Haggadah Deluxe and Premier ed Burlingame CA Historicana ISBN 978 0979954603 a b Ungar Irvin Sherwin Byron eds 2008 Freedom Illuminated Understanding The Szyk Haggadah Limited ed Burlingame CA Historicana ISBN 978 0979954627 Chang Allison Claire 2011 Heroes of Ancient Israel The Playing Card Art of Arthur Szyk Burlingame CA Historicana ISBN 978 0979954634 Ungar Irvin Michael Berenbaum Tom L Freudenheim James Kettlewell 2017 Ungar Irvin ed Arthur Szyk Soldier in Art Hardcover ed London GILES in association with Historicana and The Arthur Szyk Society ISBN 978 1911282082 Past Winners Jewish Book Council Archived from the original on 2020 06 05 Retrieved 2020 01 25 Ungar Irvin Lyons Samantha eds 2023 Arthur Szyk Preserved Institutional Collections of Original Art GILES ISBN 978 1913875404 Arthur Szyk Soldier in Art 2006 Imdb com Internet Movie Database Retrieved 9 April 2018 Arthur Szyk Soldier in Art YouTube com Historicana Retrieved 9 April 2018 In every generation remaking the Szyk Haggadah WorldCat org The World s Largest Library Catalog OCLC 401340832 Retrieved 9 April 2018 via WorldCat org Szyk Documentary to Open in Australia The Arthur Szyk Society Newsletter 13 14 February 2014 Retrieved 9 April 2018 Arthur Szyk Artist for Freedom Online Exhibition Loc gov Library of Congress Retrieved 9 April 2018 Online Exhibition The Art and Politics of Arthur Szyk Ushmm org United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Retrieved 9 April 2018 Kimmelman Michael September 7 2008 A Caricaturist but No Funny Stuff Here The New York Times Retrieved 9 April 2018 Arthur Szyk Drawing Against National Socialism and Terror Dhm de Deutsches Historisches Museum Retrieved 9 April 2018 Arthur Szyk Miniature Paintings and Modern Illuminations legionofhonor famsf org Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco Retrieved 9 April 2018 Arthur Szyk and the Art of the Haggadah Thecjm org The Contemporary Jewish Museum Retrieved 9 April 2018 Arthur Szyk Soldier in Art Nyhistory org New York Historical Society Museum amp Library Retrieved 9 April 2018 Rabbi Dr Byron Sherwin 1946 2015 Spertus edu Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership Retrieved 10 April 2018 Sherwin Byron 1999 Introduction Justice Illuminated The Art of Arthur Szyk Second ed Berkeley CA and Burlingame CA Frog Ltd and Historicana pp 6 7 ISBN 1583940103 Justice illuminated the art of Arthur Szyk a study guide by Byron L Sherwin WorldCat org The World s Largest Library Catalog OCLC 838648707 Retrieved 10 April 2018 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a website ignored help The Szyk Haggadah Overview Szyk com Historicana Retrieved 10 April 2018 Heller Steven February 2008 Szyk Transit PDF Print 104 Retrieved 10 April 2018 The Szyk Haggadah Abrams Books April 2011 ISBN 9780810997530 Retrieved 10 April 2018 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a website ignored help a b The Szyk Haggadah Institutions Szyk com Historicana Retrieved 10 April 2018 The Szyk Haggadah Metmuseum org The Metropolitan Museum of Art Retrieved 10 April 2018 Fischer Audrey Headline Haggadot Two Rare Passover Texts Published In Facsimile Loc gov Library of Congress Retrieved 10 April 2018 Melby Julie The Szyk Haggadah Princeton edu Princeton University Retrieved 10 April 2018 Heinrich Will September 8 2017 The New Season of Art Listings for the Fall Season and Beyond The New York Times Retrieved 10 April 2018 Goings On About Town Arthur Szyk Soldier in Art The New Yorker Retrieved 10 April 2018 Hirt Manheimer Aron October 13 2017 Soldier in Art Exploring the Activist Works of Arthur Szyk ReformJudaism org Retrieved 10 April 2018 Hoberman J October 16 2017 Arthur Szyk Jewish Heroes and Nazi Monsters Tablet Retrieved 10 April 2018 Paull Laura January 10 2018 Three local authors honored by 2017 National Jewish Book Awards J The Jewish News of Northern California Retrieved 10 April 2018 Cole Diane Winter 2018 Ink and Blood Jewish Review of Books Retrieved 11 April 2018 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Irvin Ungar amp oldid 1189907157, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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