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David Holleman
Rare Vintage Judaica Tile Mosaic with Sgraffito Hebrew Calligraphy

c. mid to late 1900's

About the Item

Rare Vintage Judaica , extraordinary mosaic with sgraffito decorated ceramic tiles and Hebrew calligraphy by important ceramicist and mosaic artist David Holleman (b. 1927). Holleman was born in Massachusetts and studied at the Scott Carbee School of Art. He became acquainted with German Expressionism while serving in Berlin during World War II and was influenced by Carl Hofer, who inspired him to turn from paint to ceramics when he entered the Boston Museum School in 1948. Mr. Holleman's pottery won prizes at the National Ceramics Shows and has been purchased by the National Gallery in Washington D.C.; the Carnegie Institute, PA; Syracuse Museum, NY; Louisville Junior Museum, KY; Middlebury College Art Museum, VT and Marshall Field in Chicago. He turned from ceramics to mosaics and evolved a style of "cityscapes" in which subtle architectural forms create a background of undulating shapes, volumes, colors and textures. His mosaics have own national prizes, including the 1954 Designer Craftsman Show in Brooklyn, NY and the 1954 Architectural League Gold Medal Competition. Panels are in the collections of the Jewish Museum in NYC, Boston University, MA, Brandeis University, MA and Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH. This mosaic by Holleman demonstrates his exceptional expertise as a draughtsman, ceramic artist, and mosaic artist. It combines ceramic tiles decorated with whimsical sgraffito drawings and a mosaic of small ceramic and enameled tiles. It is signed on the lower ceramic tile.
  • Creator:
    David Holleman (1927, American)
  • Creation Year:
    c. mid to late 1900's
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 15.5 in (39.37 cm)Width: 18 in (45.72 cm)
  • Medium:
  • Period:
  • Condition:
  • Gallery Location:
    Surfside, FL
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU38211389632

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