Jewish art

Jewish art, or the art of the Jewish people, encompasses a diverse range of creative endeavors, spanning from ancient Jewish art to contemporary Israeli art. Jewish art encompasses the visual plastic arts, sculpture, painting, and more, all influenced by Jewish culture, history, and religious beliefs.

Jewish artistic expression traces back to the art of the ancient Israelites in the Land of Israel, where it originated and evolved during the Second Temple Period, influenced by various empires. This artistic tradition underwent further development during the Mishnaic and Talmudic eras, reflecting cultural and religious shifts within Jewish communities. With the dispersion of Jews across the globe, known as the Jewish diaspora, artistic production persisted throughout the millennia, adapting to diverse cultural landscapes while retaining distinct Jewish themes and motifs.

Until the emancipation, Jewish art was mostly centered around religious practices and rituals. Following the emancipation in the early modern period, Jewish artists, notably in Europe began to explore different themes, with different levels of connection to religious art. Notably, Jews in France, some of whom from fleeing from Eastern Europe, produced at times modernist art of completely secular nature. Later in the first half of the 20th century, a group composed mainly of these Eastern European Jews fleeing from persecution were known as the School of Paris.

From the late to mid 20th century, following The Holocaust and the immigration of Jews to modern Israel, Israel re-emerged as a center of Jewish art while Europe declined in its importance as a center of Jewish culture.