Shmuel Levi

Shmuel Levi

Shmuel Levi
Photograph from an exhibition invitation, 1927
Debel Gallery Archives
Born (1884-03-14)14 March 1884
Sofia, Bulgaria
Died July 1966
Nationality Israeli
Education National Academy of Arts, Académie Julian
Known for Painting
Movement Israeli art

Shmuel Levi (Hebrew: שמואל לוי‎‎; March 14, 1884 – July 1966) was an Israeli painter.

Biography

Shmuel Levi (Ophel) was born in Sofia, Bulgaria.[1] The name Opal was added by him as a pen name, yet at some point Levi abandoned it. His artwork stressed the Orientalist style especially seen the Yemenite Jews.

His parents were Abraham and Naomi Levi. After completing his studies in the gymnasia, he began his studies at the National Academy of Arts, Sofia. With the establishment of the Bezalel Academy in 1906, Levi immigrated to the Land of Israel at the invitation of Boris Schatz. While at the Academy, Levi organized the first choir at Bezalel.

A 1924 banner announcing the third annual exhibition of the "Jewish Artist Association" at the Tower of David which Shmuel Levi established and chaired

Levi spoke of the praise he was given as well as the financial reward which resulted form his exhibition in Czarist Russia. This success allowed him to study in the Académie Julian, Paris in 1913.[2] While in Paris he participated in the French "Orientalist" exhibition. Upon his return to the Land of Israel, at the start of the First World War, Levi was active in the local art scene. In 1920, Levi was among the founders of the Jewish Artist Association and chaired their first committee. In 1921, Levi was the founder and in charge of the Zionist Tourist Association of Sofia. On 18 April 1927, he opened an exhibition of his works in the house of Yosef Eliyahu Chelouche in Tel Aviv. In 1931, he exhibited in the Galerie Sélection in France.

Levi was among the founders of the Beit Haam (see Hebrew article מרכז ז'ראר בכר) in Jerusalem and decorated the building with painted walls and ceilings. In 1960, there was a retrospective exhibition of his works at the Tel Aviv Museum and at the Jerusalem Artists House. His artwork is found among the collections of many museums including the Musée du Luxembourg, Paris.

Education

Teaching

Exhibitions

Further reading

References

  1. ↑ Davar, Obituary of the artist Shmuel Levi, Hebrew. 10 July 1966
  2. ↑ See letter by the artist from the Debel Gallery Archives at the Information Center for Israeli Art, The Israel Museum, Jerusalem
  3. ↑ Shmuel Levi, Retrospective Exhibition, Tel Aviv Museum, 1960
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