Haggadah for Passover

Artist Ben Shahn (American, 1898-1969)

Date1966

DimensionsCase: 16 15/16 × 13 × 3 1/4 in. (43 × 33 × 8.3 cm)
Book: 15 13/16 × 12 1/8 × 1 1/2 in. (40.2 × 30.8 × 3.8 cm)
Page: 15 1/2 × 12 in. (39.4 × 30.5 cm)

MediumBook with lithographs with stencil coloring, collotypes with hand-coloring, and letterpress. Clamshell cover: parchment with gilding; silver gilt clasp

ClassificationBooks

Credit LinePurchased with funds given by Janet Rogolsky

Object number

2007.15

On View

Toledo Museum of Art (2445 Monroe Street), Gallery, 23A, New Media

Label TextBen Shahn and his family immigrated to the United States from Lithuania in 1906. Already convinced of his future life as an artist, the young Shahn worked as a lithographer’s apprentice during the day while attending high school at night. He continued to support himself as a printer until 1930, while at the same time attending New York University, City College, the National Academy of Design, and the Art Student’s League. It was perhaps this experience of working as a printer while studying that led to his belief that there was no distinction between commercial and fine art. Shahn’s convictions ran deep and he is noted for his social activism and defense of the oppressed: “One thing I paint is the indomitable ability of the spirit of man to rise from the incredibly impossible situation of morass he’s in.” With this guiding principal, his choice to illustrate the story of Passover was a natural one.Published Referencescf. Presecott, Kenneth W., The Complete Graphic Works of Ben Shahn, Quadrangle, New York, 1973, pp. 63, 71.