The Haggadah. Executed by Arthur Szyk. Edited by Cecil Roth
AUCTION 50 |
Thursday, February 24th,
2011 at 1:00
Fine Judaica: Hebrew Printed Books, Manuscripts, Graphic & Ceremonial Art Including: The Alfonso Cassuto Collection of Iberian Art
Lot 132
(HAGADAH).
The Haggadah. Executed by Arthur Szyk. Edited by Cecil Roth
London: Beaconsfield Press 1939-40
Est: $30,000 - $40,000
PRICE REALIZED $40,000
The most sublime of all Passover Hagadahs.
Dedicated to King George VI of England, Szyk's great illuminated masterpiece is a stunning work of the Book-Arts, conceived by the publishers with extraordinarily high production values.
“A monument of sacred art and beautiful craftsmanship. The work represents the acme of book-production and color-printing of our age...(It) will remain...long after other creations of the 20th century have disappeared.” (Stanley Morrison, Hagadah Prospectus).
“The Times Literary Supplement recognized Szyk’s masterpiece as one of the most beautiful works ever produced by human hands. When one considers the brilliant multi-layers not only of illumination and color, but of themes and sub-themes, Szyk’s Haggadah stands among Hebrew illuminated manuscripts in a moment in time, for all time, in a class by itself.” I. Ungar, Justice Illuminated: The Art of Arthur Szyk (1998) p.15. See also J.P. Ansell, Arthur Szyk: Artist, Jew, Pole (2004) pp. 96-100