Four carpet design drawings by Yaakov Kantrowitz (1890-1961), head of the carpet department of Bezalel.
For designs (in different colors and slight variations in pattern; two of them identical). Gouache on graph paper. Stamped: "All rights reserved to the designer of this sample Yaakov Kantrowitz" (Hebrew).
Yaakov Kantrowitz (1891-1961) was born in Kletsk, Russia (today, Belarus). He obtained his artistic training at the art school of Odessa. Immigrated to Palestine in 1905 and in 1906 joined Bezalel as one of its first students and employees. After a while, he was appointed the manager of the carpet department of Bezalel. In 1911, he travelled to Istanbul to learn the art of making carpets. After the carpet department diverged from Bezalel, being called "Marbadiah" (and later "The New Marbadiah"), he continued to work within its framework.
After the closing of Bezalel and its workshops, he established the carpet-weaving departments at the WIZO and Ort schools.
Approx. 56X42.5 to 62.5X42.5 cm. attached to thick cardboard plates, approx. 50X70 cm. Fair condition. Blemishes, tears and open tears, mainly to edges of leaves. Stains. The cardboard plates are in poor condition.