Night Fantasy

We present todays etching thanks to the Jewish Historical Institute (JHI) in Warsaw, which runs one of the major world repositories of digitized Judaica. It is an amazing source for everyone interested in the culture and history of the Polish Jews.

A short article by Edward Kleinlerer in the newspaper Nasz Przegląd, published on December 20, 1928, sheds some light on the somewhat forgotten landscapist Adam Herszaft.

This talented painter who excelled in drypoint and etching was fascinated by the city of Venice. He returned there after many years and spent every evening strolling through its narrow calli in order to immerse himself in the city’s ambience. Then, he attempted to capture the specific mood of Venice in his works.

We learn this from the author of the aforementioned text who accompanied Herszaft on one such escapade and later had the opportunity to watch the artist at work. And a painstaking work it was: Herszaft approached each subject with devotion, each detail with deep care. This is especially impressive considering that his techniques of choice were taxing and time-consuming.

The etching that is preserved in the collection of the JHI shows a city, fantastic buildings immersed in the dark, towering above the dark sea.  While it seems to have been inspired by the artist’s nightly strolls through the Venetian streets, it has been painted from imagination. And although the spirit of La Serenissima can be found in the etching, it has little to do with the real city of Carpaccio and Veronese.

According to Kleinlerer, the popularity of Herszaft’s etchings stems from “the artist’s deep love for the theme,” his ability to capture mood, and his own impressions, which did not necessarily translate into a faithful rendering of the urban landscape.