Israeli Drawings

Collectors appreciate Israeli drawings for the cultural and religious histories that they represent, as well as for their innate aesthetic sensibilities. Israel is regarded as the birthplace of Abrahamic religions and the Hebrew language and contains holy sites sacred to Islam, Christianity, and Judaism, which are often reflected in drawings.

Following Israeli Independence in 1948, there has been a massive migration of Jews into the country, making it the largest Jewish community in the world today. Israeli drawings are predominantly created by the more than five million Jews that occupy the country.

Israeli drawings often reflect Zionist themes related to Judaism and their connection to the land. There are, however, other artistic traditions alive in Israel that explore the tensions innate to the region and the influence of non-Jewish cultures on the country’s history.

Quick Facts

• Otte Wallish is one of the foremost graphic artists in Israeli history. Over his career, he created countless illustrations reflecting themes of Zionism and the history of the Jewish people
• The National Library has a collection of several thousand drawings by the esteemed Israeli political cartoonist Kariel Gardosh
• "Land of Israel" refers to a style of artwork considered an Israeli response to Post-Impressionism with a tendency towards a light color palate and an emphasis on flatness