Jewish Art Quiz

The earliest pieces of Jewish art were religious objects--Torah adornments, marriage certificates, tombstones--that were illuminated. Relatively recently, "art for art's sake" became a concept--and the Jewish world quickly adapted, producing such notable talents as Marc Chagall and Yaacov Agam. How much do you know about Jewish art?

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Question 1. Which artist thought of himself as "Roosevelt's soldier with a pen"?
 Arthur Szyk
 Ben Hecht
 Tobi Kahn
 Jules Olitski

 

Question 2. Yaccov Agam is famous for what style of painting?
 Polyphonic painting
 Cubism
 Impressionism
 Linear perspective
 Pop art

 

Question 3. How did Moshe Kupferman express his experience in Polish concentration camps through his paintings?
 He employed muted colors and geometric formations
 He only painted in shades of black
 He used finger painting and other child-like qualities to represent a loss of innocence
 He blended photography, newspaper clippings, and other mediums into his work

 

Question 4. Chaim Potok's My Name is Asher Lev is about a young Hasidic painter dealing with:
 The challenge of promoting his work during World War II
 The shift in Jewish art trends from the classical to modern
 The rising price of paint in his shtetl
 Choosing between religion and art

 

Question 5. Who was Moshe Safdie?
 Israel's first internationally-known glass blower
 Israel's first internationally-known architect
 Israel's first internationally-known sculptor
 Israel's first internationally-known photographer

 

Question 6. How does artist Archie Rand depict biblical characters?
 Comic book style frames
 Abstract color blocks.
 Modern-day IDF soldiers
 Cartoon animals

 

Question 7. What are teraphim?
 Embroidered tapestries often hung in ancient temples
 Figurines of household gods of healing and welfare
 Ornately decorated bath-houses
 Pieces of art that also serve a ritual function

 

Question 8. Which modern Jewish artist was known for using a spray gun on his paintings?
 Marc Chagall
 Jasper Johns
 Jules Olitski
 Harold Rosenberg

 

Question 9. Who is the only Israeli artist included in H. H. Arnason's voluminous "History of Modern Art"?
 Yaacov Agam
 Michael Gross
 Nahum Gutman
 Moshe Kupferman

 

Question 10. Which biblical character was appointed to build the Tabernacle?
 Moses
 Bezalel
 Joshua
 Miriam
 Abraham

 

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