Ben Uri Album: natsional yidish dekorativer kunst-ferayin, noch yidishe motivn fun fargangene tsaytn , 1916
32 x 26 cm (h x w)
pen and ink on paper

© Lazar Berson estate

In 1915 Lazar Berson founded 'The Jewish-National Decorative Art Association (London) Ben Ouri', in Whitechapel in London's East End. In 'the Ben Uri studio' in West London he brought together a number of Jewish East End artisans who, together with the jeweller Moshe Oved, worked on a series of decorative 'Jewish' designs on wooden plates and bowls.

In addition, Berson produced the 'Ben Uri Albom: natsional yidish dekorativer kunst-ferayin, noch yidishe motive fun fargangene tsaytn', comprising an introduction in Yiddish and six plates with reproductions of works by Lazar Berson (with Jewish motifs including the Shema Israel prayer, Menorahs and Stars of David). One plate depicts a monument to Theodor Herzl. Printed on the cover of the album (a thick paper sheet, folded in half) are words of introduction about Berson by Israel Zangwill (in English) and the Ben Uri regulations (in Yiddish). It was printed in 1916 by the Ukrainian-born Hebraist Israel Narodiczky (1874–1942), an East End printer, to raise funds for the Ben Uri gallery.

Exhibited by:

Ben Uri Research Unit

More from Ben Uri Research Unit

The Rabbi from Dublin , c. 1958
53.3 x 30.5 cm (h x w)
Oil on board
Ben Uri Research Unit
Refugee Welcome , 2017
49 x 69 cm (h x w)
Watercolour on paper
Ben Uri Research Unit
The Maze , 2017
27 x 15 cm (h x w)
pen on paper
Ben Uri Research Unit
Untitled , 2017
47 x 39 cm (h x w)
Acrylic on board
Ben Uri Research Unit
Universal Exile , 2017
21.6 x 41 cm (h x w)
Paint on paper
Ben Uri Research Unit