Artist: Issachar Ber Ryback (1897–1935)
Title: Market Day in the Shtetl (The Village Grocer)
Technique: Original Color Lithograph, mounted on cardboard
Dimensions: 42 x 60 cm
Status: Signed by the artist (lower right)
About the Artwork:
In this vibrant and nostalgic lithograph, Issachar Ber Ryback masterfully depicts a scene from Jewish village life. The artwork features a woman with a basket of fish at a rustic grocery stall, complete with traditional scales and a wooden cart filled with produce. The warm, earthy tones and expressive, almost folk-art style reflect Ryback's deep connection to his Ukrainian roots. This Issachar Ber Ryback piece is a classic example of the Jewish Avant-Garde's mission to blend traditional Shtetl motifs with modern artistic expression.
About the Artist:
Issachar Ber Ryback (1897–1935): A pivotal Ukrainian-French painter and a key member of the "Kultur Lige" in Kiev.
Inner Circle: Active within the Jewish avant-garde alongside legendary figures like Marc Chagall and El Lissitzky.
Legacy: After moving to Paris in 1926, Ryback became a prominent figure in the School of Paris, dedicated to preserving the visual memory of Eastern European Jewish life through a modern lens.