Artist: Leo Roth (1914–2002)
Technique: Color Lithograph on Paper
Dimensions (Paper Size): 50x70 cm
Status: Pencil Signed (Lower Right), Numbered 87/150 (Lower Left), Unframed
About the Artwork:
This original color lithograph by Israeli artist Leo Roth depicts the biblical narrative of the Jacob mourning the presumed death of his son, Joseph. The Cubist composition features the monumental, bearded figure of Jacob, holding his hand to his head in a traditional gesture of grief and lamentation. Below him lies Joseph's iconic coat of many colors, rendered with distinct patterned stripes and bound with ropes. In the lower-left corner, two large memorial candles burn with vibrant orange flames, emphasizing the somber theme. Roth utilizes a dramatic color scheme dominated by deep emerald greens, rich purples, and geometric red accents. The print is hand-signed in pencil by the artist in Hebrew in the lower right corner, numbered 87/150 on the lower left, and presented unframed on premium 50x70 cm paper.
About the Artist:
Leo (later Lior) Roth (1914–2002) was a foundational Israeli painter whose life and art embodied the pioneering spirit and ideological passion of the kibbutz movement. Born in Galicia, Poland, his family moved to Germany before he immigrated to Mandate Palestine in 1933. Embracing the chalutzic (pioneer) ideal, Roth worked as a shepherd and farmer at Kvutzat Kinneret before settling permanently at Kibbutz Afikim in the Jordan Valley. In 1951, his kibbutz sent him to Paris to study fresco and mural painting, a journey that deeply enriched his style. Upon his return, he was appointed director of the Art Academy of the Kibbutz Movement, mentoring generations of rural artists. Roth's colorful and structured canvases were heavily influenced by Cubism and share a powerful visual dialogue with the works of Naftali Bezem. His art seamlessly blends profound Biblical imagery with poignant representations of early pioneer culture, capturing the monumental essence of labor, community, and the Israeli land.