Terracotta of a French customs officer harassing a Jewish peddler and his son
Extent and Medium
overall: Height: 6.500 inches (16.51 cm) | Width: 8.750 inches (22.225 cm) | Depth: 1.375 inches (3.493 cm)
Creator(s)
- Peter Ehrenthal (Compiler)
- Anton Sohn (Artisan)
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 figurine 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
Colorful terracotta figure group modelled by Anton Sohn in early 19th century Germany. It depicts a uniformed French customs agent tormenting a comically dressed Jewish peddler and his small crying son by grinding his foot in the merchant's open sack of goods. The label for this version has the guard swearing at and cursing the Jew for his audacity. Sohn (1769-1841), trained as a church painter, stablished a workshop in Zizenhausen, Germany, that was celebrated for its exceptionally detailed and elaborate terracotta figurines. His subject matter ranged widely and included genre and satirical groups on popular, topical themes, and religious figurines which were favorites for Christmas displays in homes, as well as businesses. This figurine is one of the more than 900 items in the Katz Ehrenthal Collection of antisemitic artifacts and visual materials.
Conditions Governing Access
No restrictions on access
Conditions Governing Reproduction
No restrictions on use
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Molded, polychrome, brightly painted terracotta figure group of a uniformed customs guard inspecting a Jewish peddler with his son at the customs booth. On the left, facing right, the guard kneels on his right knee, with his bent left leg inside an opened sack filled with objects, crushing some with his foot. He grasps the peddler's long, red overcoat with his left hand and points at the sack with his right index finger. The peddler stands bent kneed, hands raised, palms out. A young boy stands behind him crying, with his right hand over 1 eye and his left on the back of his head. The guard has a ruddy complexion, curly black hair, mustache and beard and wears a black, cockaded shako, blue jacket with epaulets and blue trousers, and a white cross belt with sword. The peddler stares at him with alarm. His red, thick lipped mouth is open in surprise, showing gapped teeth. He has a rudy cmoplexion, very long, bulbous nose, trim mustache and beard, puffy red cheeks, baggy eyes, and a creased face. He wears a black skullcap under his light brown top hat, a buttoned orange waistcoat with red stripes, wrinkled black breeches, with a silver star buckle, sagging black and white striped stockings, and buckled shoes. The boy wears a green cap and smock, and whitwe pants with red and blue stripes pants with sacks over his shoulders. The booth has a green sod roof, a doorway where a coat hangs, next to a propped rifle, a small shelf holding a pitcher, with a snake nailed above. It has a green, elongated oval base with a label adhered to the front. For another version, see 2016.184.48.
front, base, paper label, black ink: Maudit Juif attends, tu payeras ton audace. / Ah! Mr. le Soldat, je vous demande grâce! - Verdammter Jud, du sollst den Freuel büssen. / Ach, gnäd’ger Herr Söldat, thu er mi nit verschtetze. [Cursed Jew, wait, you will pay for your audacity. Ah! Mr. Soldier, I beg your pardon! - Damned Jew, you must suffer. Oh, sir, do not be spoiled.]
People
- Sohn, Anton, 1769-1841.
Subjects
- Jews--Germany--Caricatures and cartoons.
- Jews--Folk art.
- Stereotypes (Social psychology) in art.
- Jewish children--Caricatures and cartoons.
- Antisemitism in art--Germany--History--19th century.
- Jewish peddlers--Caricatures and cartoons.
- Jews in art--Germany--19th century.
Genre
- Object
- Decorative Arts