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In conjunction with the exhibition, Skirball director Abby Schwartz will offer a slide talk on Tuesday, Dec. 14, 1–2:30 p.m. in the Mayerson Hall Auditorium.
The talk will be followed by an opportunity to visit the exhibition. The program will be offered live and over Zoom.
To register or for additional information, visit csm.huc.edu.
The Skirball Museum on the Cincinnati campus of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR) has just opened an exhibition that is perfect for the celebreatin of the Cincinnati Jewish Bicentennial.
A Portrait of Jewish Cincinnati brings together the likenesses of many of Cincinnati’s prominent Jewish citizens from the early 19th century to the present day. The works are drawn from the museum’s own collections as well as those of local and national museums and private collections. Portraits include oil paintings, sculptures, drawings, and mixed media representations of figures who have made a significant impact on Jewish Cincinnati and the larger secular community.
“Bringing together almost 40 works of art in celebration of 200 years of Jewish life in Cincinnati has been an incredible journey of discovery and learning for the Skirball Museum staff,” comments Skirball director Abby S. Schwartz. “From Fanny and Abraham Aub, the couple who gave the land to build the second home of Cincinnati’s Jewish Hospital—the first in the country—to Sally Priesand, the first woman ordained a rabbi in America, here at HUC in Cincinnati—to so many scions of philanthropy, civic service, industry, education, and culture who made their mark on our community, the stories told by these portraits are colorful and diverse, and will engage viewers of all backgrounds and will be a source of pride for all Cincinnatians.”
Along with the portraits are several decorative arts objects, including a tall clock made by Joseph Jonas, Cincinnati's first permanent Jewish settler, who was a jeweler and watch and clock manufacturer; a silk fan made by Jewish American artist Henry Mosler dedicated to Rosa Fechheimer Sachs; and a cameo and eyeglasses that belonged to Marcus Fechheimer, co-founder of the Fechheimer Brothers Company, whose portrait appears in the exhibition.
Among the portraits are works by some of Cincinnati’s most important 19th century painters, including John Aubery, Raphael Strauss, and Henry Mosler. Portrait busts by Sir Jacob Epstein and Moses Jacob Ezekiel are also featured in the exhibition.
The permanent gallery of the Skirball has also reopened, featuring new displays and lighting. Additional improvements will continue throughout the building, however.
The Cincinnati Skirball Museum is one of the oldest repositories of Jewish cultural artifacts in America. The first stage in the museum’s development lasted for nearly a century, beginning when Hebrew Union College opened in 1875 and over time began accepting donations of Judaic objects and books. Special collections housed in the museum include the B’nai B’rith Klutznick National Jewish Museum Collection, the Berman and Bloch Collection of Modern Israeli Art, and the Jewish-American Hall of Fame Medals Collection.