Modus: Prace z historii sztuki (20.2020)

“[These works are - M.P.] usually seasoned with a certain irony, with a certain
sentimental compassion turning into pity, underneath which lurks a sense of su-
periority of a ‘liberated’, cultured”, and ‘assimilated’ Jew, collecting ‘interesting
pictures’ of a dying world to the delight of himself and others.”64 During this
period, Wachtel actively commented on the current political situation and de-
fended the interests of his own community, speaking out against the pogroms in
Chisinau in 1903 and in Ukrainę in the second decade of the twentieth century,
as exemplified in two paintings: Homeless / Wanderers,65 representing a family
waiting at the station, escaping from their current place of residence, and Christ
in the pogrom district.66
After Wachtel became involved in Zionism, his works changed in terms
of themes. The previous scenes from the life of Jews in the shtetls began to convey
the message of an outdated model of life. Władysław Kozicki described a elear
juxtaposition of the older generation attached to the Talmud versus the young,
nationalist generation, hungry for a new homeland, notable in the artisfs work.67
According to the researcher, the artist glorified the idea of the creation of a Jewish
State, the foundations of which were laid by the farmers who cultivated the hostile
land, presented in Return from the Field.68 In this work, however, Kozicki perceived
a morę sporting naturę of agricultural work than attachment to the land, and
because of the emphasis that Wachtel put on the paintings theme at the expense
of form, he defined the artisfs pieces from that period as illustrations rather
than works of art.69 After the painters subsequent trips to Palestine, however,
the artistic fruits of his journeys gradually found morę appreciation. Wachtel,
who was enamoured with the sun, soil and half-built houses, painted them
many times over. Szymon Wolf concluded that he was the first artist to discover
the perfect colour to reflect the Palestinian land and atmosphere. According to
the journalist, Wachtel conveyed the specific shade of yellow in the landscape
truthfully, reflecting it as it actually was.70 Also, Wachtel supposedly portrayed
local residents realistically, and his representations of “Pioneers” apparently es-
tablished a new kind of representation of a “Jewish man.”71 Wachtefs landscape
abandoned traditional, oriental-romantic features - fantastic stylization and
the idea of a “Messiahs paradise” - in favour of a real, everyday landscape that
would endear the viewer with its natural impression.72 According to Bohdana
Pinczewska, these works, despite their thematic values, were overly stylized, but
worth appreciation nevertheless.73
The artist was included by Artur Kamczycki among the creators of Zionist
iconography who supported Shlilat ha-Gola - the negation of the diaspora,
which was seen as the reason for the exhaustion and suffering of the Jewish
64 Ibidem, pp. 270-271.
65 W. Wachtel, Homeless/Wanderers, 1916, oil on canvas, 82.5 x 95.5 cm, private collection.
66 W. Wachtel, Christ in the pogrom district, 1920, oil on canvas, no data, private collection, Tel
Aviv. See: J. Malinowski, The Art of Wilhelm Wachtel, p. 57.
67 W. Kozicki, Wystawa, p. 5.
68 The work is not known to the author of the article.
69 W. Kozicki, Wystawa, p. 5.
70 Sz. Wolf, Malarz wyzwolony, p. 7.
71 Ibidem, p. 8.
72 J.E (Jakub Frostig?), Wilhelm Wachtel, p. 3.
73 B. IfinneBCbKa, Toopnicmb CopeucbKux xydoxcnuKio, p. 95.

Wilhelm Wachtefs Forewell to Golus

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