Shmuel Levi ( he, שמואל לוי; March 14, 1884 – July 1966) was an Israeli painter.
Biography
Shmuel Levi (Ophel) was born in
Sofia
Sofia ( ; bg, София, Sofiya, ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Bulgaria, largest city of Bulgaria. It is situated in the Sofia Valley at the foot of the Vitosha mountain in the western parts of the country. ...
, Bulgaria. The name Opal was added by him as a pen name, yet at some point Levi abandoned it. His artwork stressed the
Orientalist style especially seen by the
Yemenite Jews
Yemenite Jews or Yemeni Jews or Teimanim (from ''Yehudei Teman''; ar, اليهود اليمنيون) are those Jews who live, or once lived, in Yemen, and their descendants maintaining their customs. Between June 1949 and September 1950, the ...
.
His parents were Abraham and Naomi Levi. After completing his studies in gymnasia, he began his studies at the
National Academy of Arts
The National Academy of Arts ( bg, Национална художествена академия) is an institution of higher education in Sofia, Bulgaria. It is the oldest and most renowned school of arts in the country.
History
The Natio ...
,
Sofia
Sofia ( ; bg, София, Sofiya, ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Bulgaria, largest city of Bulgaria. It is situated in the Sofia Valley at the foot of the Vitosha mountain in the western parts of the country. ...
. With the establishment of the
Bezalel Academy
Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design ( he, בצלאל, אקדמיה לאמנות ועיצוב) is a public college of design and art located in Jerusalem. Established in 1906 by Jewish painter and sculptor Boris Schatz, Bezalel is Israel's ol ...
in 1906, Levi immigrated to the Land of Israel at the invitation of
Boris Schatz
Boris Schatz ( he, בוריס שץ; 23 December 1866 – 23 March 1932) was a Lithuanian Jewish artist and sculptor who settled in Israel. Schatz, who became known as the "father of Israeli art," founded the Bezalel School in Jerusalem. After S ...
. While at the Academy, Levi organized the first choir at Bezalel.

Levi spoke of the praise he was given as well as the financial reward which resulted from his exhibition in
Czarist Russia
The Tsardom of Russia or Tsardom of Rus' also externally referenced as the Tsardom of Muscovy, was the centralized Russian state from the assumption of the title of Tsar by Ivan IV in 1547 until the foundation of the Russian Empire by Peter I in ...
. This success allowed him to study in the
Académie Julian
The Académie Julian () was a private art school for painting and sculpture founded in Paris, France, in 1867 by French painter and teacher Rodolphe Julian (1839–1907) that was active from 1868 through 1968. It remained famous for the numbe ...
,
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. ...
in 1913. While in Paris he participated in the French "Orientalist" exhibition. Upon his return to the Land of Israel, at the start of the
First World War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fig ...
, Levi was active in the local art scene. In 1920, Levi was among the founders of the
Jewish Artist Association and chaired their first committee. In 1921, Levi was the founder and in charge of the
Zionist Tourist Association of Sofia. On 18 April 1927, he opened an exhibition of his works in the house of
Yosef Eliyahu Chelouche in Tel Aviv. In 1931, he exhibited in the Galerie Sélection in France.
Levi was among the founders of the
Beit Haam (see Hebrew article מרכז ז'ראר בכר) in Jerusalem and decorated the building with painted walls and ceilings.
In 1960, there was a retrospective exhibition of his works at the
Tel Aviv Museum
Tel Aviv Museum of Art ( he, מוזיאון תל אביב לאמנות ''Muzeon Tel Aviv Leomanut'') is an art museum in Tel Aviv, Israel. The museum is dedicated to the preservation and display of modern and contemporary art from Israel and aro ...
and at the
Jerusalem Artists House
Jerusalem Artists House is an Israeli art gallery and exhibition space in Jerusalem, Israel that housed the Bezalel Art School, established in 1906. The historic 19th century building, in Jerusalem's Rehavia neighborhood, was the home of Bor ...
. His artwork is found among the collections of many museums including the
Musée du Luxembourg
The Musée du Luxembourg () is a museum at 19 rue de Vaugirard in the 6th arrondissement of Paris. Established in 1750, it was initially an art museum located in the east wing of the Luxembourg Palace (the matching west wing housed the Marie de ...
, Paris.
Education
* 1901–1905
National Academy of Arts
The National Academy of Arts ( bg, Национална художествена академия) is an institution of higher education in Sofia, Bulgaria. It is the oldest and most renowned school of arts in the country.
History
The Natio ...
, Sofia
* 1906
Bezalel Academy
Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design ( he, בצלאל, אקדמיה לאמנות ועיצוב) is a public college of design and art located in Jerusalem. Established in 1906 by Jewish painter and sculptor Boris Schatz, Bezalel is Israel's ol ...
* 1913
Académie Julian
The Académie Julian () was a private art school for painting and sculpture founded in Paris, France, in 1867 by French painter and teacher Rodolphe Julian (1839–1907) that was active from 1868 through 1968. It remained famous for the numbe ...
, Paris
Teaching
*
Bezalel Academy
Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design ( he, בצלאל, אקדמיה לאמנות ועיצוב) is a public college of design and art located in Jerusalem. Established in 1906 by Jewish painter and sculptor Boris Schatz, Bezalel is Israel's ol ...
*
Hebrew Teachers' College
*
Herzliya Hebrew Gymnasium
The Herzliya Hebrew Gymnasium ( he, הַגִּימְנַסְיָה הָעִבְרִית הֶרְצְלִיָּה, ''HaGymnasia HaIvrit Herzliya'', Also known as ''Gymnasia Herzliya''), originally known as HaGymnasia HaIvrit (lit. Hebrew High Scho ...
,
Jerusalem
Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...
*
Lemmel Elementary School, Jerusalem
Exhibitions
* 1912 exhibition in
Czarist Russia
The Tsardom of Russia or Tsardom of Rus' also externally referenced as the Tsardom of Muscovy, was the centralized Russian state from the assumption of the title of Tsar by Ivan IV in 1547 until the foundation of the Russian Empire by Peter I in ...
* 1914 "Orientalist" Association exhibition in Paris
[Shmuel Levi, Retrospective Exhibition, Tel Aviv Museum, 1960]
* 1921 Participated in the first annual international exhibition of the Jewish Artist Association at the
Tower of David
The Tower of David ( he, מגדל דוד, Migdál Davíd), also known as the Citadel ( ar, القلعة, al-Qala'a), is an ancient citadel located near the Jaffa Gate entrance to the Old City of Jerusalem.
The citadel that stands today dates to ...
* 1927 exhibition at the house of Yosef Eliyahu Chelouche, Tel Aviv
* 1931 exhibited in the Galerie Sélection in France
* 1960 retrospective exhibition, the Tel Aviv Museum and at the
Jerusalem Artists House
Jerusalem Artists House is an Israeli art gallery and exhibition space in Jerusalem, Israel that housed the Bezalel Art School, established in 1906. The historic 19th century building, in Jerusalem's Rehavia neighborhood, was the home of Bor ...
Further reading
* Shmuel Levi: Retrospective Exhibition, Tel-Aviv Museum, September 1960
* Amnon Barzel, Art in Israel, 1987
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Levi, Shmuel
Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design alumni
1884 births
1966 deaths
Artists from Sofia
Bulgarian Jews in Israel
20th-century Israeli painters
Bulgarian emigrants
Immigrants to the Ottoman Empire
Israeli people of Bulgarian-Jewish descent
Date of death missing
Burials at Har HaMenuchot