Skip to main content
  • Want more images or videos?
    Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 5

Arieh Merzer
Rare 1940s Copper Repousse Judaica "Shtetl Cheder Boy" Plaque

About the Item

Arieh Merzer was a prominent Israeli artist and metal worker. Arie Merzer, an artist who worked in hand-hammered copper, was born in Warsaw, Poland in 1905, the scion of a large Hassidic family. He graduated from the Academy of Arts in Warsaw, and became the pupil of Professor Adam Richtarsky. He later worked with a group of Jewish artists who wanted to resuscitate the ancient oriental-Jewish craft of hand-hammering metal (metaloplastics), which was passed on to us as a legacy by far-off generations from the time of the Bible. In 1928 Arieh Merzer exhibited his works in Warsaw for the first time. From 1930 he lived and worked in Paris. He was one of the Jewish artists who gathered there and were known as the Jewish 'Ecole de Paris.' Merzer regularly exhibited in the well-known 'Salon d'Automne' and 'Salon des Tuileries,' as well as in solo exhibitions in Paris and throughout France. Arieh Merzer's work was highly acclaimed well before the Holocaust, before it became a memorial to a world destroyed. He portrayed the story of the Jewish spirit on copper, on silver, and on gold: stories from the Bible, the life-styles of the Jews in their shtetls and ghettos, of Chassidim and Kabbalists of renown, of wars of liberation and revival. A special stress was placed on the link between the new Jewish experience and its historical nucleus. His major innovation was the moulding of mystic and traditional Jewish motifs, that surrounded the Holy Ark in Europe's burning synagogues, and presenting the results before the world of modern art. As a result he became generally recognized as an international Jewish artist. In 1943, when France was conquered by the Nazis, Arieh Merzer escaped from a concentration camp, and after a stint in the maquis, he crossed the border into Switzerland and was sent to a labor camp. Later, he arrived in Geneva, where an album of sketches of his works was put out. In 1945 he made aliyah to Israel with his family, settled in Safed, and helped to found the Artists' Quarter there. Arieh Merzer lived and worked in Israel for twenty-one years. His exhibitions in the country include: 1946 in the Tel Aviv Museum; 1947 in the Pevsner Artists' Pavilion in Haifa; 1951 in the Artists' Pavilion in Tel Aviv; 1955 in the Museum for Modern Art in Haifa; 1955 in the Artists' Pavilion in Jerusalem; and 1957 in the Tel Aviv Museum. His works were also on permanent show in his atelier in Safed. He was awarded prizes, including: the Herman Struck prize in 1946; the Dizengoff prize in 1951 and then again in 1965; and the Mayor of Haifa's prize in 1954. His works appear in numerous museums and collections throughout the country and abroad. His heart stopped beating on the eve of Holocaust Day, 1966. Arieh Merzer, who was brought up in a Hassidic family, was drawn to the world of art from an early age; he was influenced by the moods and new ideals of the socialist circles and prepared himself to study art in the academy. On Passover eve , after clearing out the bread, while the rest of the household was busy preparing for the Holiday, a book fell from the bookcase and from out its pages flew dozens of sketches and drawings of nudes that the young Arieh had prepared for his folio for the entrance examinations to the academy. His sisters tore up the drawings with cries of treyfe treyfe (ritually non-kosher) and many months' hard work went down the drain. As a result of this, he left his home at the age of fifteen, and later joined a group of young artists who wanted to revive the ancient art of hand-hammered copper - metaloplastics - bequeathed to them by past generations who lived in Bible times. Thus did he part from his family - mother, father, thirteen brothers and sisters - who all perished in the Holocaust. He alone survived, and made an oath that he would commemorate in copper all who had died. The pictures do not do justice to this magnificent item.
  • Creator:
    Arieh Merzer (1905 - 1966, French)
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 13.4 in (34.04 cm)Width: 6.25 in (15.88 cm)
  • Medium:
  • Period:
  • Condition:
    minor age wear, patina.
  • Gallery Location:
    Surfside, FL
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU38211469342

Shipping & Returns

  • Shipping
    Retrieving quote...
    Ships From: Surfside, FL
  • Return Policy

    A return for this item may be initiated within 3 days of delivery.

1stDibs Buyer Protection Guaranteed
If your item arrives not as described, we’ll work with you and the seller to make it right. Learn More
About the Seller
4.9
Located in Surfside, FL
Platinum Seller
These expertly vetted sellers are 1stDibs' most experienced sellers and are rated highest by our customers.
Established in 1995
1stDibs seller since 2014
1,352 sales on 1stDibs
Typical response time: 1 hour
More From This SellerView All
  • Judaica Silvered Copper Repousse Sculpture Relief Plaque Shtetl Yeshiva Bochur
    By Arieh Merzer
    Located in Surfside, FL
    Arieh Merzer was a prominent Israeli artist and metal worker. Arie Merzer, an artist who worked in hand-hammered copper, was born in Warsaw, Poland in 1905, the scion of a large Has...
    Category

    Mid-20th Century Figurative Sculptures

    Materials

    Metal

  • Jerusalem Rabbi, Repousse Sculpture Relief Plaque Israeli Judaica
    By Arieh Merzer
    Located in Surfside, FL
    Arieh Merzer was a prominent Israeli artist and metal worker. Arie Merzer, an artist who worked in hand-hammered copper, was born in Warsaw, Poland in 1905, the scion of a large Has...
    Category

    20th Century Modern Figurative Sculptures

    Materials

    Metal

  • Carnavale, Avant Garde Carricature Plaque, Paris
    By Arieh Merzer
    Located in Surfside, FL
    Arieh Merzer was a prominent Israeli artist and metal worker. Arie Merzer, an artist who worked in hand-hammered copper, was born in Warsaw, Poland in 1905, the scion of a large Has...
    Category

    20th Century Expressionist Figurative Sculptures

    Materials

    Metal

  • Rare Judaica Drawing Sephardic Rabbi Gentleman, Palestine
    By Arieh Merzer
    Located in Surfside, FL
    Dimensions w/Frame: 17 1/2" x 11 1/2" Arieh Merzer was a prominent Israeli artist and metal worker. Arie Merzer, an artist who worked in hand-hammered copper, was born in Warsaw, P...
    Category

    Early 20th Century Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

    Materials

    Paper, Ink

  • Large American Folk Art Handmade Copper Fishing Village Lighthouse Art Sculpture
    Located in Surfside, FL
    A vintage American folk art hand made sculpture architectural model of fishermen's village house and lighthouse tower. Made of copper with many unique parts (sailboat paddles, doors, windows, rope, small fishing boat dinghy, store sign, and others). Vintage folk art boat house model sculpture. Nautical brutalist sculpture. This can be freestanding on the floor or wall mounted. This is not signed or dated but it definitely has some age to it. MCM, Mid century modern whimsical sculpture. It is similar to works by Curtis Jere and Jim Lewk...
    Category

    Mid-20th Century Folk Art Figurative Sculptures

    Materials

    Copper

  • Helen Shirk Sculpture Hand Crafted Studio Vessel, Copper Patina, Colored Pencils
    Located in Surfside, FL
    Title: Red Pod, CV110V, San Diego, 1997 Fabricated, hammered copper, colored pencils, patina. This is not signed. It bears a label on the interior and the artist has kindly confirmed the attribution to me. Helen Shirk...
    Category

    1990s American Modern Abstract Sculptures

    Materials

    Copper

You May Also Like
  • Valley of the Sunrise 3ft Edition
    By JD Hansen
    Located in Napa, CA
    Bronze with copper wire blanket wood base jd Hansen crafts works with exceptional detail, utilizing texture and language in a unique way to create ephemeral and intricate bronzes. ...
    Category

    21st Century and Contemporary Figurative Sculptures

    Materials

    Copper, Wire, Bronze

  • Surplus Value (Beige)
    By Yue Minjun
    Located in Bristol, GB
    Mixed materials (wood & copper) Edition of 75 Signed and numbered on the base; numbered on accompanying insert card Mint. Small chip on the wooden box bottom back corner, otherwise m...
    Category

    21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Sculptures

    Materials

    Copper

  • Surplus Value (Brown)
    By Yue Minjun
    Located in Bristol, GB
    Mixed materials (wood & copper) Edition of 75 Signed and numbered on the base; numbered on accompanying insert card Mint. Small chip on the wooden box bottom back corner, otherwise m...
    Category

    21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Sculptures

    Materials

    Copper

  • Ambete Reliquary Figure with Feathers
    Located in Des Plaines, IL
    Tribes Ambete Reliquary Figure with Feathers by The Listenbee Collection Gabon Early 20th century wood, feathers, fabric, ivory, copper, & string ...
    Category

    Early 20th Century Figurative Sculptures

    Materials

    Copper

  • 'Nora' Mixed Media Sculpture Using Found Objects
    By John Petrey
    Located in Purchase, NY
    60” tall - Vintage Bead Board, Tiffany Green Patina Textured Copper
    Category

    2010s Contemporary Figurative Sculptures

    Materials

    Copper

  • "Deer" Mixed Media Sculpture
    By John Petrey
    Located in Purchase, NY
    "Deer" is a mixed media sculpture using aged copper, embossed aluminum, torn hand made paper, found objects, cloth and chain on steel, resin, fiberglas sub-structure with a white pai...
    Category

    2010s Contemporary Figurative Sculptures

    Materials

    Enamel, Copper

Recently Viewed

View More

The 1stDibs Promise

Learn More

Expertly Vetted Sellers

Confidence at Checkout

Price-Match Guarantee

Exceptional Support

Buyer Protection

Trusted Global Delivery