For those not in the know about Jewish art, let us introduce you to Itshak Holtz, Jewish painter extraordinaire

Itshak Holtz, who passed away in 2018 at age 93, was considered the greatest living Jewish artist during his lifetime, his images beloved for their soul-touching authenticity. While most of his paintings were grabbed up by private collectors, is there a way the public can yet have access to this master?

“Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.”

 —Edgar Degas

W

here does a person go to appreciate beautiful paintings? Most of us naturally think of museums, those repositories of art on display for the general public to contemplate and admire.

But what if an artist’s work exists mostly in private hands? How will the public be able to appreciate it, to even be aware it exists?

That’s what happened to the work of frum Jewish artist Itshak Holtz, who passed away in 2018 at age 93. During his lifetime, he was considered by some critics as the greatest living Jewish artist, with his paintings commanding six-figure sums that didn’t deter the collectors who snapped up his work. His images are still popular and beloved because of their realism and authenticity — the winding alleyways of Jerusalem and Tzfas, the interiors of synagogues and shops, old men and women, hardworking shoemakers and diligent Torah scholars, all made magically connectible through his brush.

While some of his works hang in museums, including landscapes acquired by secular exhibits, the bulk of his Jewish-themed oeuvre is not accessible to the public, having been grabbed up by private collections.

This state of affairs did not sit well with David Segal, an investment professional and contemporary artist in Lakewood, NY, whom Holtz befriended and mentored during the last 15 years of his life.

“Holtz produced a massive output — up to 50,000 pieces during his lifetime,” Segal tells Mishpacha. “Most of it has been bought by several dozen main collectors, but it’s very high-quality Jewish art that deserves to be more accessible to the public.”

About three years ago, Segal had the idea to create a book to showcase Holtz’s art for those who would otherwise have no access to it. He approached Jay Kestenbaum, whose father, Leonard Kestenbaum a”h, had amassed a large collection of Holtz’s work, and asked him whether he would be interested in sponsoring a coffee table-style book with reproductions of Holtz works privately owned by a variety of collectors. Jay Kestenbaum replied, “It would be my honor to do this in memory of both my father and Itshak Holtz. It brings back beautiful memories of the times when we all met together in Jerusalem.”

Today, Living Jewish Art: The Work of Itshak Holtz (Abbeville Press) is a stunning book filled with 160 reproductions of Holtz’s vibrant, nuanced depictions of frum life.

For those not in the know about Jewish art, let us introduce you to Itshak Holtz, Jewish painter extraordinaire.