Hermann Struck: Spirit and Matter

Hermann Struck: Spirit and Matter

Berlin-born Hermann Struck (1876-1944) is considered one of the leading print artists in Germany and Eretz Israel in the first half of the twentieth century. He was born into a prosperous, observant Jewish family who were members of the Adath Israel congregation. This congregation upheld traditional religious values, while promoting an openness to modernity. Struck was thus given a traditional Jewish upbringing, while also enabling him to attend university, and to develop his artistic talent. The synthesis between his religious identity and engagement with art became integral to both his spiritual world and his artistry.

Struck studied at the Academy of Arts in Berlin between 1895 and 1899. The academic training he received influenced his outlook and his decision to specialize in the graphic arts. Along with his abundant artistic activity, Struck took an active part in public life and was a well-known figure in Berlin’s social circles. He was among the founders of the HaMizrachi religious Zionist movement and participated in the Zionist congresses. With the outbreak of World War I, Struck volunteered to serve in the German army. In 1922 he settled in Eretz Israel where he continued his artistic and public activities.

In 1925, Struck moved to this very building, his new home situated on Arlozorov Street in the Hadar HaCarmel neighborhood in Haifa. This three-story house was designed by the architect Alexander Baerwald – one of the leading architects active in the Jewish-Zionist community at the time. This unique, eclectic building combines Eastern and European element. It is here that Struck recreated his Berlin studio, creating prints while teaching art and printmaking.

This exhibition presents a selection of Struck’s works from the museum’s collection, reflecting his entire artistic career. The exhibition also aims to acquaint the visitors with his home, through a display of selected furniture and personal items belonging to the artist.

The exhibition reveals Struck’s emphasis on portraiture and landscape. It includes portraits of famous scientists and intellectuals, Jewish and non-Jewish; an album depicting World War I prisoners of war; prints of landscapes from Struck’s journey, and more. His portraits reflect an attentive, detailed observation of the nuances of the sitter’s expression; his landscapes, by contrast, show a panoramic, more distanced view, with delicate, restrained lines and, in some cases, a pastoral atmosphere. This variety of styles shows his desire to create works through directly  encountering his surroundings.

Curator: Limor Alpern