Welcome to the Home Work page for JHist '11. Every Monday and Tuesday (or sometimes Wednesday) I'll post some artifact and look for your great questions.
Monday, November 8, 2010
HW 11/9 (Choose only one)
Please post ONE question on only ONE of the homeworks for this week. After you post your question, post a respectful response to ONE other person.
as the first comment i reserve the right to ask just one question ;) Rav Hirsch is portrayed in a very interesting manner. He is in an oddly shaped figure kinda looking off to the side. why in this picture is he shown like this? why is he not shown thinking, writing, or with a book? Also there is no color in the picture. Is this lack of color and accessories a comment on Rav Hirsch? is the artist implying that Rav Hirsch was bland in some way? It seems very odd that a man as important as him would be shown in such a plain way
In this illustration of Rav Hirsch, the capition of the picture labels him as a Doctor. In the Nineteen letters for example he does not label himself as a Dr. Why does he decide to add the, possibly false, Dr. to his name?
Here Dr. Hirsch is presented on something which looks like a tomb stone. Is there a reason his photograph and name were mounted on something of the sort, or was it just a coincidence?
Julia, The frame which you are referring to is called a Deco Tombstone Arched Picture Frame. Is quite possible that this was a common way to frame a picture during the 19th century. therefore it is highly unlikely that there is a coincidence. I would say it's just his preference of framing, which was very common during his time period.
When I first looked at this picture I saw two things. The first was the style of clothes. The clothes are similar to priest’s high collared shirts yet he is wearing a dissimilar hat (religious wise). However, one could easily attribute that to the style of the times. The second was the style in which the painting is drawn. Much like how Julia points is drawn on a grave shaped canvas Rav Hirsch is drawn in almost a ghostly way. If it was painted post-mortem why was he painted in a more ghostly light rather than respectful or awe inspiring way? Moreover, he is drawn with Mona Lisa-esque eyes and mouth. To elaborate, the eyes seem to follow one while he shares the slight smile with her also. These defining traits of the Mona Lisa give her the mysterious allure and ambiguity that makes her so famous. Why would an artist want to apply these defining features to this representation of Rav Hirsch?
Noah, some say that the Mona Lisa was painted this way (with eyes that follow you and with a slight smile) to express that she is hiding a secret. The artist who drew Rav Hirsch might have also wanted to apply this aspect of a secret, but you could also be just exaggerating this aspect. The painter could have simply wanted the use the new popular way of creating images that look almost 3D every sense the 16th century Mona Lisa.
QUESTION:
This picture is boring. Why is Rav Hirsch, who was, and is such a holy man to many, painted so tiredly? The artists did not create or copy a background and decided not to use any color. Why is this? Also, Rav Hirsch had had to be a very busy man, of what importance to him would it be to sit down for hours and hours while allowing someone to capture his profile? Was this photo supposed to be published in a community newspaper or something? Why was this photo even created?
In response to Jonny, in the simplistic sense the Dr. in added because Rav Hirsch had a doctorate in philosophy (I know because I asked Mr. Williams). In the more thoughtful sense take the 19 letters a book written for the Jewish community in which Hirsch identifies as Rav so the reverse may be able to be applied. Hirsch chooses to be identified as Dr. Hirsch because he is appealing to a secular audience. As a note to Eliana’s response I am exaggerating this aspect. And out of pure curiosity I have two questions. Do you have any ideas about the ghostly bit because, well, I’m curious. And what kind of secret could he be hiding? I approve of the response. You brought up some cool stuff.
In response to Jon I'd like to assert that perhaps the title doctor was put there instead of the title rabbi because there was an emphasis on the secular progression rave hirsch made along with what we already know he did, namely lead the religious modern orthodox movement.
In response to Bosoxcrazy5, It could be that Rav Hirsch was not a bland and or plain person, but rather a humble person. Being drawn in black and white without accessories and colors can be done in order to keep the focus on the man himself and his accomplishments.
Responding to jon's question, Hirsch in fact did not have a doctorate and it was false. Corresponding with Tali's response to bosoxcrazy5, if Hirsch was such a humble person, why would he lie about being a doctor which obviously would have made him more popular?
In response to David, I did some research and found out that Rav Hirsch did not in fact have a doctorate degree. When researching Rav Hirsch, I found it peculiar that he moved around from city to city a lot. First, he was the Chief Rabbi in Oldenburg, then he was the Chief Rabbi in Hanoverian districts of Aurich and Osnabrück, then he became the Chief Rabbi of Moravia and Austrian Silesia, and finally, he accepted the call to be the head Rabbi of a seperatist group in Frankfurt am Main. Why did he move around all over Germany? Why couldn't he stay in just one place? -Aaron Zuckerman
In this picture not only does it call him a doctor but he also looks more like a doctore then a great rabbi. When I picture him I would picture a smart grandfather looking man. In this picture he looks more like a doctor and not a great rabbi. Could this picture have been taken when he was younger? Maybe before he was a great rabbi? Or maybe since he looks like a doctor and the picture says Dr. Sams. Raph. Hirsch he coulld be trying to cover up or mislead someone?
as the first comment i reserve the right to ask just one question ;) Rav Hirsch is portrayed in a very interesting manner. He is in an oddly shaped figure kinda looking off to the side. why in this picture is he shown like this? why is he not shown thinking, writing, or with a book? Also there is no color in the picture. Is this lack of color and accessories a comment on Rav Hirsch? is the artist implying that Rav Hirsch was bland in some way? It seems very odd that a man as important as him would be shown in such a plain way
ReplyDeleteIn this illustration of Rav Hirsch, the capition of the picture labels him as a Doctor. In the Nineteen letters for example he does not label himself as a Dr. Why does he decide to add the, possibly false, Dr. to his name?
ReplyDeleteHere Dr. Hirsch is presented on something which looks like a tomb stone. Is there a reason his photograph and name were mounted on something of the sort, or was it just a coincidence?
ReplyDeleteJulia, The frame which you are referring to is called a Deco Tombstone Arched Picture Frame. Is quite possible that this was a common way to frame a picture during the 19th century. therefore it is highly unlikely that there is a coincidence. I would say it's just his preference of framing, which was very common during his time period.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first looked at this picture I saw two things. The first was the style of clothes. The clothes are similar to priest’s high collared shirts yet he is wearing a dissimilar hat (religious wise). However, one could easily attribute that to the style of the times. The second was the style in which the painting is drawn. Much like how Julia points is drawn on a grave shaped canvas Rav Hirsch is drawn in almost a ghostly way. If it was painted post-mortem why was he painted in a more ghostly light rather than respectful or awe inspiring way? Moreover, he is drawn with Mona Lisa-esque eyes and mouth. To elaborate, the eyes seem to follow one while he shares the slight smile with her also. These defining traits of the Mona Lisa give her the mysterious allure and ambiguity that makes her so famous. Why would an artist want to apply these defining features to this representation of Rav Hirsch?
ReplyDeleteRESPONSE:
ReplyDeleteNoah, some say that the Mona Lisa was painted this way (with eyes that follow you and with a slight smile) to express that she is hiding a secret. The artist who drew Rav Hirsch might have also wanted to apply this aspect of a secret, but you could also be just exaggerating this aspect. The painter could have simply wanted the use the new popular way of creating images that look almost 3D every sense the 16th century Mona Lisa.
QUESTION:
This picture is boring. Why is Rav Hirsch, who was, and is such a holy man to many, painted so tiredly? The artists did not create or copy a background and decided not to use any color. Why is this? Also, Rav Hirsch had had to be a very busy man, of what importance to him would it be to sit down for hours and hours while allowing someone to capture his profile? Was this photo supposed to be published in a community newspaper or something? Why was this photo even created?
In response to Jonny, in the simplistic sense the Dr. in added because Rav Hirsch had a doctorate in philosophy (I know because I asked Mr. Williams). In the more thoughtful sense take the 19 letters a book written for the Jewish community in which Hirsch identifies as Rav so the reverse may be able to be applied. Hirsch chooses to be identified as Dr. Hirsch because he is appealing to a secular audience. As a note to Eliana’s response I am exaggerating this aspect. And out of pure curiosity I have two questions. Do you have any ideas about the ghostly bit because, well, I’m curious. And what kind of secret could he be hiding? I approve of the response. You brought up some cool stuff.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Jon I'd like to assert that perhaps the title doctor was put there instead of the title rabbi because there was an emphasis on the secular progression rave hirsch made along with what we already know he did, namely lead the religious modern orthodox movement.
ReplyDeleteT
In response to Bosoxcrazy5, It could be that Rav Hirsch was not a bland and or plain person, but rather a humble person. Being drawn in black and white without accessories and colors can be done in order to keep the focus on the man himself and his accomplishments.
ReplyDeleteResponding to jon's question, Hirsch in fact did not have a doctorate and it was false.
ReplyDeleteCorresponding with Tali's response to bosoxcrazy5, if Hirsch was such a humble person, why would he lie about being a doctor which obviously would have made him more popular?
In response to David, I did some research and found out that Rav Hirsch did not in fact have a doctorate degree. When researching Rav Hirsch, I found it peculiar that he moved around from city to city a lot. First, he was the Chief Rabbi in Oldenburg, then he was the Chief Rabbi in Hanoverian districts of Aurich and Osnabrück, then he became the Chief Rabbi of Moravia and Austrian Silesia, and finally, he accepted the call to be the head Rabbi of a seperatist group in Frankfurt am Main. Why did he move around all over Germany? Why couldn't he stay in just one place?
ReplyDelete-Aaron Zuckerman
In this picture not only does it call him a
ReplyDeletedoctor but he also looks more like a doctore then a great rabbi. When I picture him I would picture a smart grandfather looking man. In this picture he looks more like a doctor and not a great rabbi. Could this picture have been taken when he was younger? Maybe before he was a great rabbi? Or maybe since he looks like a doctor and the picture says Dr. Sams. Raph. Hirsch he coulld be trying to cover up or mislead someone?