Review: The Rabbi and the Painter
The Rabbi and the Painter
by Shoshana Weiss, illustrated by Jennifer Kirkham
Kalaniot Books (imprint of Endless Mountains Publishing)
Category: Picture Books
Reviewer: Rachel Fremmer
This work of historical fiction imagines a friendship between Rabbi
Judah Aryeh and the famous painter known as Tintoretto, who both lived
in Venice during the mid-late 16th century. While it is true that Rabbi
Judah had an unusual amount of interaction with non-Jews for the time,
there is no evidence that he and Tintoretto ever met. The book focuses
on a single painting of Tintoretto, depicting The Last Supper,
commissioned by a Venetian church. Weiss proposes that Rabbi Judah
advised Tintoretto on the composition of the painting, which seems, perhaps, a bit
far-fetched. The ending of the book, in which the painting is accepted
by the church, is somewhat abrupt.
The illustrations portray the expressions and personalities of the rabbi
and the painter vividly. The reader can see how they might engaged in
passionate discussions of the topics that interested them both. Although the muted tones are pleasant, I wish
the illustrator had chosen a brighter palette to match the intensity of
the characters.
This book meets the criteria for the Sydney Taylor Book Award in its authentic portrayal of the Jewish experience. The setting makes it, as far as I am aware, unique for a picture book.
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