After Hieronymous Hess

The image is 12 by 18 1/4 in. (30.5 by 46.3 cm) Each sheet in fair condition. The margins are unevenly trimmed on each and there is old tape and ephemera visible. There is writing in the margins as well as staining. There are small tears along the extreme edges of each sheet; one vertical tear extends less than 1/4 inch into the center top edge of the image of "Der Juden in Rom" but is barely visible to the naked eye. In overall fair condition and ready to hang.
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.

In his two prints based on his paintings from 1823,  Swiss artist Hieronymus Hess contrasts a scene of Jews sitting through a conversionist sermon in a church in Rome with a lively scene of Jews attending services in Rome’s main Synagogue, the Tempio Italiano. The church scene portrays a Catholic practice of requiring Jews to listen to conversionist sermons which persisted until well into the 19th century.

In the church scene, the Jews portray a variety of emotions, from indifference and boredom to anxiety,  as the priest aggressively preaches to the crowd. In the synagogue scene the crowd is sufficiently at home in their environment  that they casually ignore the official proceedings, preferring instead to converse among themselves while children play boisterously among the pews.

Hess’s perceptive compositions achieve a high level of social satire and are among his most well-known and frequently reproduced works.

related literature

Vivian B. Mann, Gardens and Ghettos: The Art of Jewish Life in Italy, 1989, cat. no. 93, pp. 254-255, no illustration (another example)  
Moritz Oppenheim: The First Jewish Painter. Ex. cat. p. 89, cat. no. V.3, b/w illustration on p. 59
Margarete Pfister-Burkhalter, Hieronymus Hess 1799-1850, 1952, pls. 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b (another example)
Alfred Rubens, A Jewish Iconography, 1982, Synagogue Interior illustrated no. 1693