Ludwig Yehuda Wolpert


Ludwig Yehuda Wolpert, was an Israeli-American goldsmith and designer, born in Germany. He is celebrated as the first artist to design Judaica in modern styles.

Biography

Ludwig Yehuda Wolpert was born in a small village near Heidelberg, Germany to a poor religious orthodox family. During his childhood he suffered as a result of his family's Lithuanian Jewish origin and was often teased because of his cleft lip. In 1916-1920, he began his studies in sculpture at the Frankfurt School of Art. In 1925-1928, he studied goldsmithing at the Frankfurt School of Art

Art career

Following the presentation of the works in the 1930 exhibition "Kult und Form" at the Jewish Museum in Berlin, his works became well known in the German Jewish world. His works were greatly influenced by Modernism design, especially the Bauhaus movement. Wolpert works avoid decorations, and rely on clean, geometric shapes. In 1933, following the Nazi rise to power in Germany, he immigrated to the Land of Israel with his family. There, he worked in the B. Friedland Workshop where he designed and manufactured silver tableware and Jewish ceremonial art. Together with Victor Solomon Reese] he made the sculpture "The Flying Camel", the symbol of the "Levant Fair", under the architect Aryeh Elhanani.

Teaching career

In 1935 he began teaching at Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design in Jerusalem, where he headed the Department of Metal together with jeweler David Heinz Gumbel. Wolpert placed an emphasis on the use of Hebrew typography in Jewish ceremonial art and employed modern lines within works. In addition to his teaching continued to create modern Judaica works at the school’s workshop. In 1942 he established an independent workshop in Jerusalem.
In 1956, Wolpert moved to the United States, where he headed the Tobe Pascher Workshop for Modern Jewish Art at the Jewish Museum in New York City.

Awards and recognition