Arthur Szyk. State of Israel Independence Proclamation Declaration 1948 Official Gazette. Date and place of ...

Arthur Szyk. State of Israel Independence Proclamation Declaration 1948 Official Gazette. Date and place of publication unknown. Apparently Szyk prepared different formats of the English version (see item 701). Text in one column, top part in Hebrew. Printed on thick paper 30.5 x 40.5 cm. Good condition.
Szyk was born in the summer of 1894 in the Russian city of Lodz, Poland. He studied art in Paris, Krakow and for a short time in the Land of Israel.

During the First World War he served in the Russian army. As part of his military service he reached as far as central Russia, where he had the opportunity to be impressed by the oriental architecture, the decorative models and the colors that were typical of the place. He was also influenced by the decoration of medieval books and Persian manuscripts.

In 1919 his first illustrated book was published, which was a satire on the political situation in Germany. In 1921 he moved to Paris, where he published the Illustrated Book of Esther and other books. In 1926, his book Le Juif qui rit ("The Laughing Jew") was published in Paris, with illustrated jokes about Jews. The introduction to the book was written by Minister Anatole de Monzi (AN).

In 1932 he illustrated the Kalisz Convention (14th century). At the same time he presented a number of exhibitions, including illustrations he made for the League of Nations and presented in Geneva.

In 1931 he prepared illustrations of President George Washington and the American Revolution. In 1934 he visited the United States to receive a special decoration from the American Congress, on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the birth of George Washington.

In 1936, Szyk stayed in Poland, then finished his most famous work - the Passover Haggadah known as the Szyk Haggadah. This work was defined by the London Times as one of the most beautiful books ever published by Adam. Throughout that period, Szyk incorporated anti-Nazi illustrations into his works. Fearing the Germans, the British asked to omit these illustrations from the Haggadah. With the outbreak of World War II Szyk's anti-Nazi views were appreciated, and even became an asset. The Haggadah was printed with a dedication to King George VI, and the first copy was given to him as a gift. The Polish and British authorities sent him to the United States to encourage American society to oppose Nazism.

In December 1940 he settled in the town of New Canaan in Connecticut, where he lived until his death. During the war years Szyk published many books and cartoons portraying the Nazis in a satanic and ridiculous light; For example - in illustrations for the Book of Esther (in the later version of the edition), Szyk decorated the evil Haman, hanging on a tree, with the swastika symbols on it. Szyk Air for many newspapers and magazines, as well as for government and private entities. Szyk's mother and brother, who lived in Poland, perished in the Holocaust.

After the war, Szyk joined the revisionist Bergson Group led by Hillel Cook (Peter Bergson), who defined it as "a one-man art department." From then on, Szyk was swept away by the fervor of the Zionist ideal, while sympathizing with the Irgun and Lehi underground groups.

In 1947 he completed a work of three stained glass windows, depicting Gideon, Samson and Yehuda HaMaccabi, at the Tiferet Yisrael Synagogue in Cleveland.

On May 22, 1948, he received U.S. citizenship.

After the establishment of the state, Szyk issued the Declaration of Independence, and the stamps commemorating the year 5711.

Arthur Szyk was granted American citizenship on May 22, 1948, but he reportedly experienced the happiest day in his life eight days earlier: on May 14, the day of the announcement of the Israeli Declaration of Independence. Arthur Szyk commemorated that event by creating the richly decorated illumination of the Hebrew text of the declaration. Two years later, on July 4, 1950, he also exhibited the richly illuminated text of the United States Declaration of Independence.