Horse Trader: It's true as I live that she gives two buckets Terracotta figure group of 2 Jewish traders selling an old used cow to a gentile
Extent and Medium
overall: Height: 7.000 inches (17.78 cm) | Width: 9.000 inches (22.86 cm) | Depth: 2.000 inches (5.08 cm)
Creator(s)
- Anton Sohn (Artisan)
- 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 figure group 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, Horse Trader, modelled by Anton Sohn in early 19th century Germany. It is a satirical and vulgar depiction of two Jewish cattle dealers using deceptive word play to sell an old, worn out cow to a German gentleman. Sohn (1769-1841), trained as a church painter, established 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 figure group 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, painted terracotta figure group of 3 men, 2 Jewish cattle dealers, and a non-Jewish gentleman, a potential client, gathered around a sick looking black cow. The cow stands with her head hanging down to the left, mouth open, tongue protruding. She is very wrinkled, thin, and bony. One dealer stands on her front side and holds her tail up to give an unobstructed view of her sagging udder and rear orifices. In his other, left hand he holds a halter. He wears a wrinkled, dark green knee length coat, brown trousers, and a brown stovepipe hat, with a rope over his shoulder. He faces right with a big grin. The other dealer stands, body forward, next to the cow's rear which he points at with his left index finger. He is facing left, talking to and looking imploringly at the third man. His right hand is on his chest as if swearing to the truth of his words. He wears a worn, wrinkled brown coat and trousers, striped vest, and a flat cap, with a walking stick in his left hand. These men are clean shaven with thick sideburns and stereotypical Jewish facial features: hooded eyes, large, pointed noses, and fleshy lips. On the far right stands a man, head turned left and speaking with open mouth. He wears a black tricorn hat, blue tailcoat, breeches, and his hands are clasped behind his back. The figurine has a flat, open sliced halfback which is unpainted. The figures stand on an elongated, raised oval platform, with an uneven green top simulating grass, a paper label adhered to the front side, and a perforated paper stamp with blue ink affixed to the underside. See 2016.184.54 for another version of this figure.
front, base, paper label, black ink : So wahr ich leb sie giebt 2 Kübel voll alle... [It's true as I live that she gives two buckets] base, underside. hand printed. black ink : JMS 1109
People
- Sohn, Anton, 1769-1841.
Subjects
- Jews--Germany--Caricatures and cartoons.
- Jewish peddlers--Caricatures and cartoons.
- Jews in art--19th century.
- Antisemitism in art.
- Jews--Folk art.
- Jews--Caricatures and cartoons.
Genre
- Decorative Arts
- Object