Reuven Rubin 1893-1974

Acquired directly from the artist by the present owner, 1961

Syracuse, Syracuse Museum of Fine Arts [n.d]

In this early view from the 1920s, the rolling hills and winding roads leading to the Sea of Galilee are strewn with olive trees and old Arab houses,  while in the foreground a shepherd flocks his sheep. This idealistic portrayal of a primitive land expresses Rubin's fascination with his newly found homeland, a place with infinite opportunities and deep spiritual significance. In October 1926, Rubin described his reaction to the new landscape: "Here in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa and Tiberias I feel myself reborn. Only here do I feel that life and nature are mine. The grey clouds of Europe have dissappeared. My sufferings and the war too are ended. All is sunshine, clear light and happy creative work. As the desert revives and blooms under the hands of the pioneers, so do I feel awakening in me all the latent energies... I have pitched my tent on these ancient hills and my desire is to tie together the ends of the thread that history has broken." (Reuven Rubin, Rubin, My Life My Art, New York, n.d., page 162).