Michael Schwartz - a lithograph of the Lubavitcher Rebbe figure made from the words of the article "Bati L'gani"- limited and numbered edition. A copy signed in pencil by the renowned Chabad artist, a close associate of the Rabbi, and numbered 254/280. One of Schwartz's monumental works.
Michael (Michelle) Schwartz [1926-2011] American Jewish artist. Born into a well-known rabbinic family, and educated at the "Torat Chayim" yeshiva in New York. Schwartz started painting at a very young age and got close to the Rebbi already in his youth. In 1941, when he was fifteen years old, the Rebbi asked him to draw several icons for publishing houses, including the famous cover of the monthly children's magazine that was published, "TALKS AND TALES". At that time, He would come to the Rebbi twice a month in -770, to discuss about the appropriate illustrations of the "TALKS AND TALES". When Schwartz opened an art house in Crown Heights called "Gallery Chai", the Rebbi gave him a check of $10,000 to help with the expenses. It is said that before he created the lithograph before us he met with the Rebbe a few times, and the Rebbe explained to him the importance of drawing by letters - type that was not common in the field of art of the 70s, Schwartz is considered a pioneer in the field. Over the years Schwartz became a first-class artist, he created many works of art that appeared in the President's Residence, in the Knesset and City Hall in Jerusalem, as well as in the White House (sculpture given by Yitzhak Shamir to the then President of the United States, Ronald Reagan) and in many synagogus and private collections in Israel and the world. Schwartz painted, among other things, some of the familiar logos of Chabad movement.
Schwartz's works are unique, combining figures with letters and words from the sources. According to the artist, the saying "letters make you smart" expresses the secret of Jewish existence over the generations.
"Bati L'gani" is the name of the last article written by the Rebbe HaRata"z, as well as the first article and a series of articles that followed said by the Rebbi. The articles begin with the words of the midrash "Bati L'gani" ("I came to my garden") and are named after them. In the article, the Rebbe explains the meaning of the work of the 'Mishkan' in the work of each of Israel. During the year after the departure, the Rebbi spoke in a large part of the conversations about the virtues of the article "Bati L'gani", in which in the secret way the Rabbi left all the advice and instructions for this period. From 1951 onward, the RebbI said every year on the 10th day of Shvat an article with the speech beginning "Bati L'gani".
64x47 cm. Given in a wooden and glass frame 60x77 cm. Slight moisture stains in the lower part of the lithograph mainly in the passepartout frame, with a slight damage to the lower part of the leaf.
