Ludwig Blum (24 July 1891 – 28 July 1974) was a Moravian-born Israeli painter. He emigrated to Israel in 1923, as part of the Third Aliyah, and became known as "the painter of Jerusalem".

Ludwig Blum
Ludwig Blum
Born24 July 1891
Died28 July 1974(1974-07-28) (aged 83)
Jerusalem, Israel
Resting placeHar HaMenuchot
OccupationPainter

Early life edit

 
Memorial plaque in Brno-Líšeň

Ludwig Blum was born in 1891 in Líšeň (now part of Brno), Margraviate of Moravia.[1][2][3][4] He emigrated to Mandatory Palestine in 1923, as part of the Third Aliyah.[2][3][4] He served in the First World War.[4] He was privately educated in Vienna and later attended the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague.[1][3]

Career edit

 
1939 painting of Rachel's Tomb by Ludwig Blum

Upon his arrival in Mandatory Palestine, and as a dedicated Zionist, Blum started paintings scenes of everyday life and landscapes in Israel.[3] He did many paintings of Jerusalem (including the Western Wall and the Mount of Olives), Tel Aviv, the Sea of Galilee and the Judaean Mountains.[3][5] Additionally, he painted some kibbutzes: Kiryat Anavim and Degania Alef, and the lives of Israeli soldiers, including the Palmach.[3][6][7] He also painted copper mines in the Timna Valley.[3] He also painted the Arch of Constantine in Rome, Italy, and a vase of roses.

Blum became known as "the painter of Jerusalem".[2][4] In 1933, his painting entitled simply Jerusalem was honoured at the Royal Academy of Arts in London.[1] In 1967, he received the Yakir Yerushalayim from the City of Jerusalem.[1]

In 2011 the Museum of Biblical Art in Manhattan held an exhibition of Blum's paintings.[8]

Death edit

Blum died in 1975 in Jerusalem.[1]

Selected paintings edit

  • Jerusalem in the Snow (1927).[3]
  • Jerusalem, Temple Mount (1928).[3]
  • Vase of Rose (1931).[9]
  • Kibbutz Kiryat Anavim (1932).[3]
  • Kibbutz Degania (1934).[3]
  • The Judea mountains (1943).[10]
  • The Arch of Constantine (1944).[11]
  • Jerusalem, seen from Mount Scopus (1950).[12]
  • The Market in Jerusalem (1950).[13]
  • View of Jerusalem from the Hill of Evil Counsel (1951).[14]
  • Landscape (1956).[15]
  • Timna, Copper Mines (1957).[3]
  • View of Jerusalem (1962).[16]
  • Jerusalem, David's Tower and the Sultan's Pool, seen from Mishkanot Shaananim (1964).[17]
  • The Western Wall.[2]
  • The walled city of Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives.[18]
  • Sea of Galilee.[19]
  • Portrait with a keffiyeh.[20]

See also edit

Further reading edit

  • The Real and the Ideal: The Painting of Ludwig Blum (Tel Aviv: Museum of the Jewish People, 2009).[21]
  • The Land of Light and Promise, 50 Years Painting Jerusalem and Beyond: Ludwig Blum 1891-1974 (

Ben Uri Gallery and Museum, 2011).

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e "Ludwig Blum - Biography".
  2. ^ a b c d "Bonhams : Ludwig Blum (Israeli, 1891-1975) The Western Wall".
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Printed from The Jewish Press » Blog Archive » Ludwig Blum's Israel". 29 December 2011.
  4. ^ a b c d "Jerusalem and the Holy Land - MOBiA - Museum of Biblical Art".
  5. ^ Azaryahu, Maoz; Ilan Troen, S.; Troen, Selwyn Ilan (2012). Tel-Aviv, the First Century. Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0253223579.
  6. ^ Torstrick, Rebecca L. (2004). Culture and Customs of Israel. Bloomsbury Academic. ISBN 9780313320910.
  7. ^ Almog, Oz (28 November 2000). The Sabra. University of California Press. ISBN 9780520921979.
  8. ^ "Jerusalem and the Holy Land: The Paintings of Ludwig Blum (1891-1974)". mobia.org. Museum of Biblical Art. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  9. ^ "Bonhams : Ludwig Blum (Israeli, 1891-1975) Vase of flowers".
  10. ^ "Bonhams : Ludwig Blum (Israeli, 1891-1975) The Judea mountains".
  11. ^ "Bonhams : Ludwig Blum (Israeli, 1891-1975) The Arch of Constantine, 1944 9 1/2 x 13 1/4in".
  12. ^ Christie?s. "LUDWIG BLUM (1891 - 1975)".
  13. ^ Christie?s. "LUDWIG BLUM (1891 - 1975)".
  14. ^ Christie?s. "Ludwig Blum (1891-1975)".
  15. ^ "Bonhams : Ludwig Blum (Israeli, 1891-1975) Landscape".
  16. ^ Christie?s. "Ludwig Blum (1891-1975)".
  17. ^ Christie?s. "LUDWIG BLUM (1891 - 1975)".
  18. ^ "Bonhams : Ludwig Blum (Israeli, 1891-1975) The walled city of Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives unframed".
  19. ^ "Bonhams : Ludwig Blum (Israeli, 1891-1975) Sea of Galilee".
  20. ^ "Bonhams : Ludwig Blum (Israeli, 1891-1975) Portrait with a keffiyeh".
  21. ^ The Real and the Ideal. 2009.