With the introduction of photography in 1839, pioneer practitioners of the nascent medium flocked to the Holy Land, expecting the glorious biblical scenes imagined by Renaissance painters, but finding instead mainly dusty villages and a largely ramshackle Jerusalem.
On car trips as a young girl, Francoise Reynaud traveled through the French countryside, captivated whenever she saw a single tree alone at the side of the road or in the middle of a field.
The walls of Dr. Bernard Lewinsky’s office resemble the pages of a National Geographic calendar: sweeping lake vistas and verdant forests brush up against sculptured rock formations and sun-mottled Yosemite hills. Looking at his photographs, patients remember vacations, times when they felt relaxed and at peace. It takes their minds off their cancer.
\”In my country, it was always war. I saw people dying. I saw people without arms, eyes, hands — without heads,\” Mustafa said. \”We finally got away, but I was upset.\”
In the quiet, pastoral village of Kfar Shmu\’el, not far from Jerusalem, Michal Rovner\’s studio is an inspiring place to create art.
There are many ways to celebrate Israel\’s 60th anniversary, and the Skirball Cultural Center is leading with its strength by offering a series of wide-ranging programs of art shows, music, film and lectures.
Calendar Girls picks and clicks for April 5-11
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