The Patheticans Group (1912) – Yaakov Steinhardet (1887-1968)

One of the most landmarks in his life was the encounter with Richard Yentor and Ludwig Meidner in Berlin. Those three founded the Patheticans group (1912) that in its exquisite expressionist way created apocalyptic paintings that combine grotesque and tragic visions implying together for the end of the world.

The Patheticans Group (1912)

Yaakov Steinhardt (1887-1968)

Yakkov Steinhardt was known in the Israeli art as a painter and woodcut artist. He was born in Jarkov (Poland of our days) and he began his artistic path in art school in Berlin, and at the age of 19 he was exposed to painting and woodcut.

When the Nazis came to power, he arrived to Israel and began working in Jerusalem. In the 30’s, he became one of main focuses in the artistic sphere of the city. Steinhardt worked in a studio he founded and became a popular teacher in his field. He continued to develop his pedagogic aspect and also taught in Bezalel School in the city.

One of his most prominent perspectives, which was also visible in his creations, was the statement that art’s role is to pass on a social and political message. He believed that the artist role is to education and enlighten, and the social mission placed him, in his mind, as some kind of a prophet.

His creations, that make a strong impression on the observer, are characterized with description of emotional subject and their empowerment to an extreme state which is expressed through movement that is sometimes distorted and over the top. The scenes he painted were metaphor to social criticism he wanted to share.

His creations engaged in the life of Jewish in exile, and later the Israeli scenery captured his attention as well. In his early years in the country, he was influenced by the look of the alleys in “Meah Shearim” neighborhood in Jerusalem (a very religious area), and the life of Arabs and Bedouins in the country. He put in the front stage of his paintings the views of the Israeli villages and life of the port and its images. However, as an internal motive, he always carried, in his expressionist manner, the Jewish distress in exile, with elements such as anxiety, tragedy, melancholy and sadness shouting from his works in the grotesque protest and integrating with biblical and Jewish motives.

One of the most landmarks in his life was the encounter with Richard Yentor and Ludwig Meidner in Berlin. Those three founded the Patheticans group (1912) that in its exquisite expressionist way created apocalyptic paintings that combine grotesque and tragic visions implying together for the end of the world. Their paintings showed aggravated, Skinny, sickly, distorted and hurt figures. He was one of the first who created with expressionist style and spirit in Germany, and was considered one of the most significant artists the war brought to Israel.

In 1955 he received his first awards for graphic art and was among seven artists who were sent to present their works, as Israeli representative, in San Paulo, Brazil (Biennale). On his awards shelves he collected other awards for his works. His prints, paintings and sketches were displayed in large exhibitions in Museum of Israeli in 2010 and 2011, and another exhibition in 2011 in the “End Center”, Naharriya. Steinhardt showed impressive control in a wide range of artistic technics (sketches, woodcuts, large oil paintings and more), and was a source of inspiration to many how worked after him, with his humble and moral ways, and his wonderful artistic abilities.