Biblical Girl Carrying a Water Jug, Oriental Bronze figurine, made in Israel circa 1950
Lovely Bronze or Copper wall hanging ornament, in great condition with some nice green patina spots on it. Very nice detailed cast, featuring a biblical Jewish girl carrying a water jug on her shoulder
The oriental motif of the "Girl with the water jug" comes from the Holy Bible and is most affiliated with the story of Eliezer and Rebecca near the water well (see the description below, I also attached a nice painting I found of this biblical scene)
It represents the falling in love of our ancestor mothers and fathers and a hint for Romance and "Eroticism" in the bible stories
The "Girl with the Water Jug" was one of many Biblical Motifs that inspired Artists and Craftsmen in the early days of Israel (1910-1970's) and became an inspiration for the new immigrants that arrived to Israel from all over the world. In the 1950's and 60's there were still many girls in Israel carrying water jugs on their heads or shoulders
Size (HxW) : 4.3 x 6.5 inch / 10.5 x 16.5 cm, Weight : 1 lb / 0.45 Kg
Click here to see more Metal Arts and Crafts from the early days of Israel
The story of Eliezer and Rebecca
Eliezer was sent by his master Abraham to find a wife for Isaac, Abraham’s son. His swore to find a wife from Abraham’s family. Eliezer reached Aram Naharayim and stopped at the well, one location where people meet. He prayed to God that He should send him a woman who would not only respond the his request for his own water, but a woman who would initiate hospitality in the form of watering his camels as well, without request.
“And it as that he had even finished speaking (to God) behold Rebecca came out, born to Besuale, the son of Milka, wife of Nachor, the brother of Abraham and her with her pitcher on her shoulder”. (Gen. 24:15)
“...she went down to the well, she filled her pitcher, and then ascended. And the servant (Eliezer) ran to greet her and said, ‘let me sip please, a little water from your pitcher. And she said, ‘drink my master’, and she rushed and took down the pitcher from her shoulder and gave him to drink. And when he finished drinking, she said ‘I will also draw for your camels until they finish drinking’. And she rushed and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and she ran yet again to the well to draw, and she drew for all his camels.”
Something to know about the Israeli Metal Art from the early days of Israel :
About 20 workshops operated in Israel in the years 1950-1970 and created a variety of home décor items, home artifacts and Judaica objects. Such as Serving bowls, decorative wall plates, napkin holders, book ends, Hanukkah menorahs, Shabbat candle holders, Passover plates, and more.
The materials used were simple and not expensive – Metal alloys of brass and copper, some of them with colorful ornaments and hand paintings. It was an affordable art for the new immigrants that came from the Diaspora to Israel and for tourists and pilgrims of the Holy Land
Amongst these workshops were: Pal Bell, Dayagi, Oppenheim, Tamar, Wainberg, Zel Zion etc. They succeeded the work of Bezalel Art Academy that was founded in Jerusalem at 1906., but most of them have been closed by the late 1970s
The designs were fresh, creative and modern for that period, Influenced by the new immigrants who came to Israel from East and and West (European holocaust survivors, North African Jews and Middle East Jews). Geometrical Art Deco shapes, Antique Jewish European designs, and Oriental - Eastern and North African influences can be seen in many of these works.
The motifs came mostly from the world of Judaism and the holy Bible (such as the Temple Menorah, Star of David, Moses and Jerusalem) and also from the daily life of the young country of Israel (such as dancing people, girl with a water jug etc)
Nowadays, these beautiful works of art are becoming rare and collectible worldwide
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