SHABBAT

The most important day of the week for Jews is the Sabbath, called Shabbat in Hebrew. This begins at sundown on Friday, since the Jewish calendar is based on the lunar calendar and a new day therefore begins at this time. Shabbat is a day for rest and for prayer. There are several paintings showing Shabbat scenes in the Ben Uri collection, one of which is:

SELF PORTRAIT WITH CANDLES by Lily Delissa Joseph (1863-1940)
Oil on canvas
Presented to the Society by Mrs Redcliffe Salaman in 1946
(498K)
Lily Delissa Joseph was the younger sister of Solomon J. Solomon RA, a well-known Jewish portrait painter who became only the second Jewish Royal Academician in 1906. She probably learnt to paint from him. She was a committed member of the Jewish community, and involved in many charitable ventures. She met the young poet Isaac Rosenberg whilst painting at the National Gallery, and with the help of her sister Mrs Lowy, and her friend Mrs Herbert Cohen, sponsored his studies at the Slade School of Art. He was killed during the First World War, but several of his paintings are now in public collections.

Lily Delissa Joseph was deeply involved in the women's suffrage movement, and was unable to attend the Private View of one of her exhibitions since she was detained in Holloway Gaol on a charge related to her campaigning at the time. This is in marked contrast to her brother's experience of the movement, for when his 1909 portrait of the then Prime Minister Asquith was exhibited at the Royal Academy, 'Votes for Women' was scrawled across it in violet ink. (This portrait is now at the National Liberal Club).

Lily Delissa Joseph was a remarkable and unique personality. She was one of the first women to own and drive a car and she also learnt to fly aeroplanes when in her fifties. In this painting, however, she presents herself in modest dress, with her head covered, holding her Sabbath candles.

It is customary for the whole family to eat together on Friday evening. The day will have been spent in preparation since no work can be done once Shabbat has started. About twenty minutes before sundown on Friday evenings, the woman of the house will kindle the Sabbath candles to mark the formal beginning of Shabbat. There are two candles to represent the fact that the command to keep Shabbat holy appears twice in the Torah, (the first five books of Moses). The woman recites a blessing over the candles. Blessings are then said over the wine and bread before the meal is begun. A special plaited loaf called Challah is eaten on Shabbat.

It is noticeable that Delissa Joseph used very few colours in her paintings. In this painting, she limits herself to using black, brown, white, peach, yellow and a hint of red for the candle flames. This painting was obviously influenced by the work of Rembrandt who was particularly famous for his self portraits, and wonderful light effects.

This painting was exhibited at the Paris Salon where it received a mention honourable. Sadly, she chose to destroy many other of her works, either by discarding them or by reworking them so much that it ruined them. It has been suggested that this may have been the result of her deep personal orthodoxy which inhibited her from making idols.

Now let us have a look at another painting which in all probability shows another Sabbath scene.