Statute of Kalisz, artistic adaptation of the first charter of rights granted to the Jews of Poland (1264), created by Arthur Szyk. Facsimile edition of the original edition, printed in Paris in 1932. Published by Wydawnictwo Graf_ika, Warsaw, 2012. English, Hebrew, Yiddish, German, Polish, Italian and Spanish.
Arthur Szyk (1894-1951), one of the most outstanding Jewish artists in the twentieth century, started his work on the scroll in the mid-1920s, when he resided in Paris. In the face of rising anti-Semitism in Poland, Syzk decided to react through a work of art expressing the unique and long affinity between Polish Jews and their homeland. As subject of his
work Szyk chose the Statute of Kalisz, the first document of its kind securing the liberties of Jews in Greater Poland Voivodeship, in central Poland. The original statute was issued by Duke Boleslaus (1224-1276) in 1264 and reflected tolerance, sympathy and closeness towards his Jewish subjects.
45 illustrated plates. Size of plates: 32X38.5 cm. Very good condition. Thick paper. Plates are wrapped with inflexible paper and inserted into an elegant leather portfolio partly covered with cloth and in an outer slipcase. Enclosed are a book and an explanatory booklet with introductions.