Page 328 - The Legacy of Abraham Rothstein - text

Genre: shtetl

108 Bust of an old man *
Wood
11.25” x 7”

After AR carved the head of this character, a lot wood was left
below the neck; as a result, the rudimentary upper torso
terminates at the base in the original rectangular block. The old
Jew sports a full slightly-forked beard, a dour expression, and
an “Oriental” yarmulke with a button on top. One of the two
extant photographs of AR’s father shows him wearing a fez-
like yarmulke (see no. 142) and a full forked beard. That
photograph, enlarged and tinted, hung on the wall of the hall
of AR’s house for many years; it could not have failed to fix its
image upon his mind.

142 Torso of a man
Wood
14.75” x 6.5”
Inscription: Abraham (Hebrew, behind left ear)

This figure, with its huge head, odd hat, and intense
expression, resembles African or Oceanic sculpture more than
any other AR piece. Nevertheless, the fez-like cap is radially-
incised like a yarmulke, the face bears the typical wrinkles and
square beard of a shtetl elder, and the lightly-incised garment is
a European suit jacket with lapels. AR described his father with
such a beard, and the cap is similar the one in the photograph:
this may be a portrait of David Israel Rothstein. On the
bottom is written in ink: “Abe Rothstein 1963”. If that is
indeed the date of creation, this must be one of the last pieces
AR made. That conclusion accords with the piece being given
to Ben Rothstein’s son David, who saw AR often in his final
years on Orange Street.

3 Scholar on the toilet
Wood
8” x 3”

324