Bidspirit auction | Eva Samuel (1904–1989) - Ten

Eva Samuel (1904–1989) - Ten Woodcuts – Jewish Motifs Inspired by the Essen Synagogue - An early and rare series of 10 woodcuts by the artist Eva Samuel, inspired directly by the synagogue in Essen, Germany, where the artist’s father served as the rabbi of the Jewish community. The works depict scenes from Jewish communal and religious life: Torah study, prayer, rabbis and students, synagogue interiors, and Jewish urban settings. The visual language is distinctly Expressionist, characterized by strong black-and-white contrast, dramatic compositions, and elongated figures, with a clear stylistic influence of Frans Masereel—typical of Samuel’s early European and formative period. This series constitutes a rare and deeply personal visual testimony to German-Jewish life prior to the Holocaust, created before Samuel’s immigration to Eretz Israel and before her later, central contribution to Israeli ceramic art. Technique: Woodcut Period: Europe, mid–late 1920s Dimensions (each work): approx. 25 × 18 cm Signature: Signed in pencil (Hebrew / German; varies between works) Condition: Good overall condition consistent with age; paper shows natural patina, age toning, and minor creases typical of early original prints Scope: 10 works, one double. Catalog Note: A museum-quality group of significant importance for understanding Eva Samuel’s early artistic development and for the rare visual documentation it provides of Jewish communal life in Germany before its destruction. Source: Estate of Yoram Samuel, ז”ל.