Painted wooden figure of an Austrian court Jew
Extent and Medium
overall: Height: 9.000 inches (22.86 cm)
Creator(s)
- Peter Ehrenthal (Compiler)
Biographical History
The Katz Ehrenthal Collection is a collection of more than 900 objects depicting Jews and antisemitic and anti-Jewish propaganda from the medieval to the modern era, in Europe, Russia, and the United States. The collection was amassed by Peter Ehrenthal, a Romanian Holocaust survivor, to document the pervasive history of anti-Jewish hatred in Western art, politics and popular culture. It includes crude folk art as well as pieces created by Europe's finest craftsmen, prints and periodical illustrations, posters, paintings, decorative art, and toys and everyday household items decorated with depictions of stereotypical Jewish figures.
Archival History
The wooden figure was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2016 by the Katz Family.
Acquisition
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of the Katz Family
Funding Note: The cataloging of this artifact has been supported by a grant from the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany.
Scope and Content
18th century painted wooden figure of an Austrian court Jew. It may represent Rabbi Samson Wertheimer (1658-1724), chief rabbi for Hungary and Moravia, and a well known financier, philanthropist, and scholar. He was the Finance Minister and influential adviser to Emperor Leopold I. The figure is one of more than 900 items in the Katz Ehrenthal Collection of antisemitic visual materials.
Conditions Governing Access
No restrictions on access
Conditions Governing Reproduction
No restrictions on use
Subjects
- Antisemitism in art.
- Jews--Caricatures and cartoons--18th century.
- Jews--Austria--18th century--Pictorial works.
- Stereotypes (Social psychology) in art.
- Court Jews--Austria--18th century--Pictorial works.
- Jewish folk art--Austria.
- Jews in art.
Genre
- Object
- Decorative Arts