Lot 314
Jacob Stark - Sketch for a Certificate for Donors - Foundation of "Herzliya" Hebrew Gymnasium in Jaffa, 1906
A large sketch (Ink on thick paper) for a "membership certificate" of the "Organization of the Hebrew Gymnasium in Palestine", presented to "founding members" who donated 250 Francs for the foundation of this school. Signed: "J. Stark, Bezalel, Yerushalem" (Hebrew). [1906].
A large ink sketch. On the right appears the figure of Moses holding a book under his arm, and to the left - the figure of Jacob; on the top appear illustrations of science study tools on the background of a rich library, and on the bottom are two silhouettes depicting the towns of Jaffa (viewed from the sea) and Jerusalem, and among them the emblem of the "Organization of the Hebrew Gymnasium in Palestine", with the seven branched Menorah.
In the center of the sketch is a text describing the aim of the organization: "To found a Hebrew school which will give its students in addition to national education - realistic, commercial education in the junior and higher grades, to prepare them for the university and the polytechnicum".
The "Herzliya" Hebrew Gymnasium - the first Hebrew high school - was established in Jaffa in 1905 under the name "The Hebrew Gymnasium" (HaGymnasia HaIvrit). In 1909 the school was relocated to Herzl Street in Tel-Aviv and was renamed after Herzl. During the first year it operated as a private school in the home of Dr. Yehudah Leib Metmann-Cohen and his wife, and the second year was opened in October 1906 with about 40 students; it was then reported in the newspaper "Hashkafa" (edited by Eliezer Ben-Yehudah): "about twenty founding-members gathered in Jaffa, each one donating 250 Francs, and thus the keytone was placed for the 'Gymnasium fund'. A supervising committee of seven people was elected among the founding members…"; from this citation it is understood that the certificate printed after this sketch - if it was eventually printed - was awarded to the 20 founding members only.
The creator of this sketch - Jacob Stark (1881-1915), painter and typographer, was born in Poland. Immigrated to Palestine in 1906 and was one of the first "Bezalel" students. This sketch was one of the first works he created in Palestine.
70.5X51.5 cm. Fair-poor condition. Many creases and folding marks. Long, rough tears. Rough tears and a large open tear at the right margin (affecting the sketch). Pieces of adhesive tape are pasted on the back. A number of comments in pencil (in Stark's handwriting).
