Objects

The watercolour Jews in a Small Town by Józef Kruszewski is satirical in nature. The very dynamic composition of the painting consists of a diverse crowd running towards a green carriage. The vehicle, located in the center, and the Jews seated in it arouse great interest in the figures crowded around it. One of the people seated in the carriage is a rabbi (a man in a cylinder, supported on cushions), enthusiastically greeted by the Jewish community. The men in the vehicle and in the midst of the gathering are dressed in dark gaberdines, with black brimmed hats on their heads, from under which payot are visible. The composition is complemented by architectural elements. The action of the genre scene probably takes place in the market square of an unidentified town. In the lower left corner there is an inscription: "DER REBE Kim! DER REBE Xim!" (Yiddish: "The Rebbe is coming!"). In the lower right corner is the signature: "J. Kruszewski".

Anna Filar