Bidspirit auction | Shmuel Ben-David - Eight illustrations

Shmuel Ben-David - Eight illustrations for the ”Esther Scroll” - Eight illustrations for the ”Esther Scroll” hand-drawn by Shmuel Ben-David, Jerusalem, Bezalel, which was published in lithographic printing in Jerusalem in approximately 1930, in a 15 cm format, the size of the illustrations before us is 23 cm. * Six precise and clean illustrations. Probably the only original and final version used to print the scroll. Shmuel Ben-David - Eight illustrations for the ”Esther Scroll” - Eight illustrations for the ”Esther Scroll” hand-drawn by Shmuel Ben-David, Jerusalem, Bezalel, which was published in lithographic printing in Jerusalem in approximately 1930, in a 15 cm format, the size of the illustrations before us is 23 cm. * Six precise and clean illustrations. Probably the only original and final version used to print the scroll. Sephardic inscription and ink illustrations on thick, high-quality paper. Signed ”Ben David”. One of the leaves is missing, [12] columns instead of [14] columns; [6] leaves 34 cm. Good condition. * Outline for the frame of the first leaf, Ahasuerus' banquet. Ink and pencil on paper. Unsigned. Without the text of the revealer. Leaves 34 cm. Good condition. Handwritten note in pencil. * Colored outline for the frame of the first leaf, Ahasuerus' banquet. Ink and watercolor on paper. Unsigned. - Shmuel Ben-David was born in Sofia, Bulgaria, in 1884. In 1904 he began studying art in Sofia, where he met Boris Schatz. Under his influence, he immigrated to Palestine in 1906, and joined Bezalel as a student in the advanced class and as a teacher in the carpet department. In 1912 he went to Paris, where he studied art. In 1913 he was one of the founders of the ”Rimon” group at Bezalel. During World War I, he remained in Jerusalem, thanks to his Bulgarian citizenship. At that time, he taught art in several schools in the city. When Bezalel reopened in 1916, he returned to teach there until his death in 1927. In 1920 he was One of the founders of the ”Hebrew Artists' Association”. In the years 1921-1922, he was even elected the first chairman of the association and designed its emblem. Ben-David's main work was in the field of applied art, such as enamel works and jewelry. Alongside designing models for the Bezalel Carpet Department, he created fabric applications, drawings and prints, combining the Art Nouveau style with Jewish realism. In addition, he dealt with typography and the design of Hebrew calligraphy.