Distinctively Israeli

Reuven Rubin (1893-1974) is the eighth of 13 children born to a Romanian Jewish Hasidic family in Galaţi. Rubin studies art at Bezalel Academy of Art in Jerusalem and Ecole des Beaux Arts and Academie Colarossi in Paris.

“Although born in Romania and trained in art

in Paris and Romania, Reuven Rubin …

is a distinctly and distinctively Israeli artist.”

Jewish Virtual Library

Rubin Links Continents and Cultures

Although he spends his life traveling between Romania, Paris, New York, and Israel, Engel Gallery explains Rubin’s importance to Israel:

“Reuven Rubin is a central figure in the canon of Israeli art, who [succeeds] in defining modern Eretz Israel’s visual essence, famed both in Israel and abroad. When he first set foot in Eretz Israel, Rubin’s dream [is] to create art which will link between European and Asian art, ancient Jewish and biblical folklore.” (Engel Gallery)

Click For Enlarged Detail

Reuven Rubin (1893-1974), Landscape near Jerusalem (1968), signed ‘Rubin’ and signed again in Hebrew (lower left), oil on canvas, 21 3/8 x 28 7/8 in. (54.2 x 73.4 cm.), Source: Christie’s, (detail)

Reuven Rubin (1893-1974), Landscape near Jerusalem (1968), signed ‘Rubin’ and signed again in Hebrew (lower left), oil on canvas, 21 3/8 x 28 7/8 in. (54.2 x 73.4 cm.), Source: Christie’s, (detail)

Reuven Rubin (1893-1974), Landscape near Jerusalem (1968), signed ‘Rubin’ and signed again in Hebrew (lower left), oil on canvas, 21 3/8 x 28 7/8 in. (54.2 x 73.4 cm.), Source: Christie’s, (detail)

Reuven Rubin (1893-1974), Landscape near Jerusalem (1968), signed ‘Rubin’ and signed again in Hebrew (lower left), oil on canvas, 21 3/8 x 28 7/8 in. (54.2 x 73.4 cm.), Source: Christie’s, (detail)

Reuven Rubin (1893-1974), Landscape near Jerusalem (1968), signed ‘Rubin’ and signed again in Hebrew (lower left), oil on canvas, 21 3/8 x 28 7/8 in. (54.2 x 73.4 cm.), Source: Christie’s, (detail)

Reuven Rubin (1893-1974), Landscape near Jerusalem (1968), signed ‘Rubin’ and signed again in Hebrew (lower left), oil on canvas, 21 3/8 x 28 7/8 in. (54.2 x 73.4 cm.), Source: Christie’s, (detail)

Reuven Rubin (1893-1974), Landscape near Jerusalem (1968), signed ‘Rubin’ and signed again in Hebrew (lower left), oil on canvas, 21 3/8 x 28 7/8 in. (54.2 x 73.4 cm.), Source: Christie’s, (detail)

Reuven Rubin (1893-1974), Landscape near Jerusalem (1968), signed ‘Rubin’ and signed again in Hebrew (lower left), oil on canvas, 21 3/8 x 28 7/8 in. (54.2 x 73.4 cm.), Source: Christie’s, (detail)

Reuven Rubin (1893-1974), Landscape near Jerusalem (1968), signed ‘Rubin’ and signed again in Hebrew (lower left), oil on canvas, 21 3/8 x 28 7/8 in. (54.2 x 73.4 cm.), Source: Christie’s, (detail)

Reuven Rubin (1893-1974), Landscape near Jerusalem (1968), signed ‘Rubin’ and signed again in Hebrew (lower left), oil on canvas, 21 3/8 x 28 7/8 in. (54.2 x 73.4 cm.), Source: Christie’s, (detail)

Reuven Rubin (1893-1974), Landscape near Jerusalem (1968), signed ‘Rubin’ and signed again in Hebrew (lower left), oil on canvas, 21 3/8 x 28 7/8 in. (54.2 x 73.4 cm.), Source: Christie’s, (detail)

Reuven Rubin (1893-1974), Landscape near Jerusalem (1968), signed ‘Rubin’ and signed again in Hebrew (lower left), oil on canvas, 21 3/8 x 28 7/8 in. (54.2 x 73.4 cm.), Source: Christie’s, (detail)

Reuven Rubin (1893-1974), Landscape near Jerusalem (1968), signed ‘Rubin’ and signed again in Hebrew (lower left), oil on canvas, 21 3/8 x 28 7/8 in. (54.2 x 73.4 cm.), Source: Christie’s, (detail)

Reuven Rubin (1893-1974), Landscape near Jerusalem (1968), signed ‘Rubin’ and signed again in Hebrew (lower left), oil on canvas, 21 3/8 x 28 7/8 in. (54.2 x 73.4 cm.), Source: Christie’s, (detail)

Reuven Rubin (1893-1974), Landscape near Jerusalem (1968), signed ‘Rubin’ and signed again in Hebrew (lower left), oil on canvas, 21 3/8 x 28 7/8 in. (54.2 x 73.4 cm.), Source: Christie’s, (detail)

Reuven Rubin (1893-1974), Landscape near Jerusalem (1968), signed ‘Rubin’ and signed again in Hebrew (lower left), oil on canvas, 21 3/8 x 28 7/8 in. (54.2 x 73.4 cm.), Source: Christie’s, (detail)

Reuven Rubin (1893-1974), Landscape near Jerusalem (1968), signed ‘Rubin’ and signed again in Hebrew (lower left), oil on canvas, 21 3/8 x 28 7/8 in. (54.2 x 73.4 cm.), Source: Christie’s, Link: https://www.christies.com/lotfinder/paintings/reuven-rubin-landscape-near-jerusalem-6032537-details.aspx?from=searchresults&intObjectID=6032537&sid=eb6228a4-43ed-496e-9a57-d8768091bc91

“Reuven Rubin is a central figure

in the canon of Israeli art…”

Engel Gallery

In Summary

Reuven Rubin wants “to create art which will link between European and Asian art, ancient Jewish and biblical folklore.” (Engel Gallery). Most importantly, Rubin succeeds in forging an indigenous style of art by combining his early Primitivism of the 1920s with both Byzantine art and the modernist styles of Paul Gauguin and Henri Rousseau. This alloy of ideas emerges as the ‘Eretz-Yisrael’ style, featuring recurring themes of the biblical landscape, folklore, and people – Yemenite, Hasidic Jews, and Arabs. For these reasons Rubin is called “distinctly and distinctively [an] Israeli artist.” (JVL)

Although the image quality is poor and the audio is without translation, the video Rubin – The Palette of A Poet Year: 1966  is worth watching for the many clips of Rubin working in the settings he immortalized in his paintings. From this video I glimpsed many of his magnificent works of art not available for viewing in other online venues. Seeing this hint of the true scope of his work explains better than any other source why Reuven Rubin “is a central figure in the canon of Israeli art.” (Engel Gallery)

Video

Rubin – The Palette of A Poet Year: 1966

Duration: 00:12:46 Language: Hebrew Abstract: The life and work of artist Reuven Rubin. Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Music: Vivaldi : Concerto for 2 Flutes, 2 Salmoe, 2 Violins, 2 Mandolin by Claudio Scimone & I Soliste Veneti.

Details of Artwork

• Landscape near Jerusalem (1968)
• Reuven Rubin (1893-1974),
• Born in Galaţi, Romania of Jewish Hasidic descent.
• studied art at Bezalel Academy of Art in Jerusalem, Ecole des Beaux Arts and Academie Colarossi in Paris
• signed ‘Rubin’ and signed again in Hebrew (lower left)
• oil on canvas
• 21 3/8 x 28 7/8 in. (54.2 x 73.4 cm.)
• Source: Christie’s
• Link: https://www.christies.com/lotfinder/paintings/reuven-rubin-landscape-near-jerusalem-6032537-details.aspx?from=searchresults&intObjectID=6032537&sid=eb6228a4-43ed-496e-9a57-d8768091bc91

Sources

Jewish Virtual Library, Reuven Rubin, https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/reuven-rubin (accessed 5 Dec 2018).

Engel Gallery, Reuven Rubin Biography, http://www.engel-art.co.il/artists.php?act=show&id=1033,(accessed 5 Dec 2018).

Thanks for Visiting! 🙂

The End