The Water Carrier Fryderyk Kleinmann 1937 Polish Painter

Jewish painter born in Lviv who was in Poland before the Second World War. He died in the Janowska concentration camp in 1943. His works are rare to find. He exhibited in Paris, Krakow and Vienna. The Jewish Museum of the Historical Institute of Poland has two drawings by the artist considered to have disappeared. The fact that few original works by Kleinmann have been preserved until today in collections in Poland and abroad makes the two drawings from the series "Hershele Ostropoler", inspired by Jewish folklore, all the more precious. These drawings, very expressive, grotesque and mysterious at the same time, illustrate the famous story of the poor Jewish vagabond from a small town, famous for his extraordinary spirit. The anecdotes about Hershele's adventures, transmitted orally at daily fairs, became very popular in the 19th century after being published in Yiddish, Polish and German.