In 1979, the "Friends of Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design" in New York commissioned the "Bezalel Passover Haggadah" from the artist Maty Grunberg, thanks to generous donations by Joy Ungerleider-Mayerson, Romie Shapiro, and Richard Scheuer.
The search for the visual language began. In 1979 Professor Bezalel Narkis founded "The Center for Jewish Art" in the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. In 1980 he introduced Maty G. to the "British Museum" in London, which allowed him to spend a whole day with the "Golden Haggadah." This precious old Haggadah is usually housed inside a very thick glass cabinet, allowing only to be viewed.
"It was an extraordinary experience, Maty G. recalls. I was led to a private room and given white cotton gloves, the librarian came in rolling the old book on a trolly, and handed it to me carefully. I spent the rest of the day viewing this most amazing old Haggadah, that was created approximately around 1320 in Catalonia, Spain. I was shivering at the sight of the beauty of the ancient book. I realized I could not compete with this magnificent Haggadah. On that day I understood I need to change direction, to abandon the colorful drawings I was preparing and to approach the making of the Bezalel Haggadah more severely."
"The Bezalel Haggadah" was published in 1984 in a limited addition of 150 copies. It contains 75 pages of originally numbered and signed woodcuts: 49 colorful woodcuts and 26 black- and -white woodcuts. The text was printed with the "Koren" font, originating from a wood- carved letter from the "Senchino" printer in Italy of the 19th century. The printing was done by the artist on a "Summerset" paper, using an Albion Printing press, 1860.
"The Bezalel Haggadah" was shown on a cross- country exhibition in the U.S, together with "The Mark Chagal Haggadah" and "The Ben-Shean Haggadah". The published addition was sold-out, and can only be found in auction sales. Copies of the Haggadah are kept by museums, libraries and private collectors.
http://www.matygrunberg.com/the-sister-of-the-bezalel-haggadah.html
"The Bezalel Haggadah" was shown on a cross- country exhibition in the U.S, together with "The Mark Chagal Haggadah" and "The Ben-Shean Haggadah". The published addition was sold-out, and can only be found in auction sales. Copies of the Haggadah are kept by museums, libraries and private collectors.
http://www.matygrunberg.com/the-sister-of-the-bezalel-haggadah.html
Author
Naomi R. Azar
M. Grunberg Studio Manager
