Detailed Description |
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Beautiful illustrated picture book of Purimn scenes from Megillat Esther with drawings by A. (August) K. Henschel. The title page states that it is dedicated to the children of the galut. At the beginning and end of the book is a twelve part grammin (humorous Purim poem), the front in German the end in Hebrew, with twelve black and white illustrations, each related to a part of the grammin, in between. For example, number nine is a picture of Haman leading Mordecai in royal garments on the kings horse, all well described in the grammin. Each illustration occupies a full page with the verso blank. The name of the author of the grammin is not given but the artist is listed as A. K. Henschel.
Presumably the A. K. Henschel is the famed artist who belonged to a family of four artist brothers – August (d.1829), Friedrich (d. 1837), Moritz (d. 1862), and Wilhelm (d. 1865) – who went from Breslau, Germany, and worked in Berlin from c. 1806 to 1829, when August committed suicide. They worked as a team, signing their work "the brothers Henschel," producing portraits in pastel and miniatures and also engravings which won them popularity. The subjects of their engravings included famous personalities, such as Fichte, scenes from the theater, patriotic illustrations, and "Scenes from the Life of Goethe." When August committed suicide, his brothers returned to Breslau where they lived in obscurity.
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