Menachem (Schmidt) Shemi

Tel Aviv, Tel Aviv Museum of Art, 90 Years of Israeli Art: A Selection from the Joseph Hackmey - Israel Phoenix Collection, 1998-1999, p. 112-113, illustrated in color in the exhibition catalogue

Original canvas. The surface is in very good condition. No retouching is apparent when viewed under ultra violet light.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Menachem Shemi visited Paris for six weeks in 1928, but this brief encounter left a deep and lasting impression on the artist. He was particularly absorbed by the works of Cézanne, with whom he was already familiar from studying reproductions of his paintings in the early '20's. Cézanne's principles of composition are echoed in the present lot, painted after Shemi visited Safed. The forms and the construction of the neighbourhood are placed in an intentional, organized manner, which results in a balanced and harmonious painting. Like many Israel artists of his generation, Shemi was drawn to the uniqueness and vitality of the ancient city of Safed.  In May, 1947 the artist wrote to his brother "An old city in Eretz Israel, by the name of Safed, lies in the mountains, romantic and picturesque... Safed is attractive, it excels in its mysterious Jewish orientality, an orientality without parallel" (M. Bassok, ed., Menachem Shemi – 48 Paintings and a Selection of Letters and Drawings, Tel Aviv, 1958, p. 118 as quoted by Miri Ben Moshe in Ninety Years of Israeli Art, A Selection from the Joseph Hackmey – Israel Phoenix Collection, exhibition catalogue, Tel Aviv Museum of Art, Tel Aviv, 1998, p. 114).