Stampede - Herman Wald

A notable aspect of Wald’s work dealt with subjects that he thought would
appeal to a specifi cally Jewish clientèle. This was a series of sculptures on
the theme of traditional Jewish life, largely based on his memories of his
childhood in Hungary. Although Wald’s rabbinical family was fairly prosperous, the
Jewish community of which it was a part was a highly diverse one, often at odds with
itself over matters of theology and the interpretation of tradition. The appeal of many
of these sculptures is essentially nostalgic, refl ecting on a Jewish communal life that
was essentially wiped out by the Holocaust. In making them, Wald resorted to a loose
and expressive style of modelling.
I
n 1951 Wald was commissioned to carve a choir screen for a new synagogue in
Springs. This was the fi rst of his large-scale religious works. The commission was
signifi cant and symbolic in personal terms as it reminded him of the diffi culties he
had as a youth in convincing his Rabbi father of his decision to become a sculptor.
He was also an accomplished singer and had sung behind many such choir screens
in European synagogues. Designed for an architectural setting, the central subject of
Sanctum is an apotheosised seven-branched Menorah candlestick, with the tablets of
the Ten Commandments.
In 1959 Wald held an exhibition entitled ‘The Bible in Sculpture’ in Johannesburg.
In many ways it was a project that went against modernist precepts, which had
abandoned literary or moral themes in art. He was not alone in this as Marc
Chagall, for example, had also set himself the task of illustrating scenes from the
Bible. For Wald, the Biblical themes he selected were related to what he termed
‘our present day happenings’. It was also an opportunity for him to take issue with
the Jewish community itself on the subject of art.
Selected for inclusion on the exhibition of the
South African Academy in 1944, Russian
Girl is one of the few surviving works by Wald
carved in marble. Its idealised features of what
seems to be a worker peasant girl recall the spirit
of Socialist Realism predominant in offi cial Russian
art under Stalin at the time, best represented by the
work of the sculptor Vera Mukhina. This optimistic
and idealistic socialist ideal was also embraced by
the farmer-worker settlers who fl ocked to Israel
when it was founded in 1948. This accounts for
the perceived signifi cance of this work in the early
1950s, when it was used on the cover of the
magazine, Jewish Aff airs.
A bstraction was dominant trend with the international avantgarde in the 1950s
and 60s when Wald was most active as a sculptor. Like many practising
sculptors he opted to work in a variety of fi gurative styles, with occasional
forays into abstraction. The latter only really took place late in his life, between
c.1968 and 1970. Works such as Birth of an Idea, Têtê à têtê and were all produced
just before his untimely death at the age of 64. They evidence his experimentation
with techniques such as ceramic slip-casting and resin casting. They have seldom,
if ever, been exhibited in public before.
W ald’s ‘African’ works form only a small
part of his artistic output. Like many artists
of European origin, he felt the attraction
of the so-called ‘exotic’ when he came to Africa.
Attracted by the colour and quality of local South
African hardwoods, he carved a number of pieces
on African themes, with highly-polished surfaces
and fl owing concavities, such as Mother and Child
III (1955-65). The latter approximates the totemic
quality of European prehistoric objects that he had
seen in European museums. Apart from carving
techniques, Wald also tackled African subjects using
modelling and casting techniques, as
in works such as Zulu Protector
(1968-69). Here, once again,
his evocation of the
totemic seems strongly
in evidence.
L ike many of the modern sculptors
that he encountered in his wanderings
as a student in Europe, Wald was
preoccupied with sculptural approaches to
the human form. During the four years he
spent in England (1933-1937), he became
familiar with the work of three important
sculptors: Jacob Epstein, Henry Moore and
Frank Dobson. Virtually all of Wald’s works
produced in Europe have been lost and
we only know of them from photographs.
Many of these have been included in this
exhibition to give visitors some idea of the
scope and range of his work. It is perhaps
this range and diversity that critics perceived
as a weakness rather than a strength.
Gassed (1939) is a work that Wald
made in South Africa as a warning
against a repeat of the horrors of
the First World War (1914-1918), when
poison gas was used as a weapon in trench
warfare. This contorted human fi gure,
made in February of 1939, prophesied the
outbreak of war in September. It was a war
that would lead to the Holocaust of the
Jews of Europe and the murder of Wald’s
Hungarian family at Auschwitz. In some
ways Gassed prefi gures Wald’s other works
that deal – either directly or through literary
allusion – with the Holocaust. Works such as
Job and Cain relate this, as does of course
his Monument to the Six Million.
Gassed
Mother and Child III Birth of an Idea
Têtê à têtê
Russian Girl
Man and his Soul
La Femme
First Consciousness
Job I Jacob Wrestling with the Angel
Religious Discussion
The Scholar
Torsos
Drawing of La Femme
Erotic and literary themes abound in Wald’s work, and in this sense it can be
seen as being part of the Symbolist tradition in European art, which was little
understood or appreciated in South Africa. In Wald’s work the human body
becomes a vehicle for spirituality and abstraction; a merging and interpenetration
of male and female. This is especially seen in his Man and his Soul, The Lovers and
most remarkably in La Femme. The latter, a late work, is reminiscent of the highly
abstract yet allusive work of Constantin Brancusi. It is highly phallic, but at the same
time unmistakably female.
Photography: Jac de Villiers
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ea
ea
ea
ea
ea
e n
n
n sy
sy
sy
sy
sy
syna
na
na
na
nago
go
go
go
gogu
gu
gu
gu
gu
g es
es
es
es
es. De
De
De
De
Desi
si
s gn
gn
gn
gn
gned
ed
ed for
or
or an
n
n ar
ar
arch
chit
it
it
it
i ec
ec
ectu
tura
ra
ra
ra
ra
ra
ra
ra
ral
l
l se
se
se
se
se
se
se
se
se
se
se
se
se
s tt
tt
tt
tt
tt
tt
tt
tt
tt
tt
ttin
in
in
in
in
in
in
ing,
g,
g,
g,
g,
g,
g,
g the
he
he
he
he
he
he
he cen
en
en
en
en
en
en
en
en
entr
tr
tr
tr
tr
tral
al
al
al
al
al
al
a sub
ub
ub
ub
ub
ub
ub
u je
je
je
je
je
je
je
ject
ct
ct
ct
ct
ct of
f
f
f
f
Sa
Sa
Sa
Sa
Sanc
nc
nc
nc
nctu
tu
tu
tu
tum is
s an
an
an
an
an apo
po
po
poth
th
theo
eo
eo
eosi
sise
sed
d se
se
s ve
ve
ven-
n-
n br
br
bran
an
a ch
ched
ed
ed
e Me
Me
Me
Me
Me
Meno
no
no
no
n ra
rah can
an
an
an
an
an
andl
dl
dl
dl
dl
dles
es
es
es
es
esti
ti
ti
ti
ti
ti
ti
ti
tick
ck
ck
ck
ck
ck
ck
ck
ck, wi
wi
wi
wi
wi
wi
with
th
th
th
th
th
th the
he
he
he
he
he
he
he
he
he tab
ab
ab
ab
ab
ab
ab
ab
a le
le
le
le
le
l ts
ts
ts
ts
ts
ts
ts of
f
f
th
th
th
th
th
the
e
e
e Te
Te
Te
Te
Te
T n
n Co
Co
Co
Co
Comm
mm
mm
mman
an
an
a dm
dm
dmen
en
e ts
ts.
n
n
n
n 19
19
19
19
19
1959
59
59
59
59
59
5 Wal
al
al
al
al
al
al
al
al
a d
d
d
d
d
d he
he
h ld
ld an ex
e hi
hi
hi
hi
hi
hi
h bi
bi
bi
bi
bi
bi
bi
bi
bi
bi
bi
bi
bi
bi
biti
ti
ti
ti
ti
ti
ti
ti
t on
on
on
on
on
on ent
nt
nt
nt
ntit
it
itle
le
le
le
le
led ‘T
‘T
‘T
‘T
‘T
‘The
he
he
he
he
he
h Bib
ib
ib
ib
ib
ib
ible
le
le
le
le
le in Sc
Sc
Sc
Sc
Sc
Sc
Sc
Scul
ul
ul
ul
ul
ulpt
pt
pt
pt
pt
pt
ptur
ur
ur
ur
ur
ure’
e’
e’
e’
e in
n
n
n Jo
Jo
Jo
Jo
Jo
Jo
Jo
Jo
J ha
ha
ha
ha
ha
ha
hann
nn
nn
nn
nn
nnes
es
es
es
es
es
esbu
bu
bu
bu
bu
bu
burg
rg
rg
rg
rg
rg
r .
In
In
In
In man
an
an
an
an
any
y
y wa
wa
wa
w ys
ys it
t wa
wa
wa
wa
wa
wa
wa
wa
wa
wa
wa
wa
wa
wa
wa
wa
wa
wa
wa
wa
wa
wa
wa
wa
wa
was a pr
proj
oj
o ec
ec
ec
ec
ec
ec
ect
t
t
t th
th
th
th
th
th
th
th
th
th
th
th
th
th
th
th
th
that
at
at
at
at
a wen
en
en
en
en
ent
t ag
ag
ag
ag
ag
ag
agai
ai
ai
ai
ai
ains
ns
ns
ns
ns
ns
n t
t
t
t
t
t mo
mo
mo
mo
mo
mo
mo
mode
de
de
de
de
de
de
de
d rn
rn
rn
rn
rn
rnis
is
is
is
is
is
is
is
is
ist pr
pr
pr
pr
pr
pr
pr
p ec
ec
ec
ec
ec
ec
ec
e ep
ep
ep
ep
epts
ts
ts
ts
ts
ts,
,
,
, wh
wh
wh
wh
wh
wh
wh
whic
ic
ic
ich ha
ha
ha
ha
ha
ha
ha
ha
had
ab
ab
ab
ab
aban
an
an
an
an
ando
do
do
do
do
d ne
ne
ne
ned li
li
lite
te
tera
rary
ry
ry
ry or
r
r
r
r
r
r mo
mo
m ra
ra
r l th
th
th
them
em
em
em
em
em
e es
es
es
es
es
es
es
es
es
es
es
es
es
es in ar
ar
ar
ar
ar
art.
t.
t.
t. He wa
wa
wa
wa
wa
wa
w s
s
s
s
s
s
s no
no
no
no
not
t
t
t al
al
al
al
alon
on
on
on
on
one
e
e
e in
in
in
in
in thi
hi
hi
h s as
as
as
as
as
as
as
a Mar
ar
ar
ar
a c
Ch
Ch
Ch
Chag
ag
ag
ag
a al
al
al
al
all,
l,
l,
l, for
or
or
or
or exa
xa
xa
xamp
mp
mple
le
le,
, ha
ha
h d al
al
al
al
al
al
al
al
al
al
al
al
al
al
al
al
al
al
al
al
al
al
al
al
al
al
al
al
al
al
al
al
al
al
al
al
also
so
so
so
so
so
so
so
so
so
so
s set
et
et him
im
imse
se
se
s lf
lf
lf
lf
lf
lf
lf
lf
lf
lf
lf
lf
lf
lf
lf
lf
lf
lf the
he
he
he
he
he
he tas
as
as
as
a k
k
k
k
k
k
k of
of
of
of
of
of
of
of ill
ll
ll
ll
ll
ll
llus
us
us
us
ustr
tr
tr
tr
trat
at
at
at
atin
in
in
in
in
in
ing
g
g
g
g sc
sc
sc
sc
sc
s en
en
en
en
enes
es
es
es
es fro
ro
ro
ro
ro
ro
ro
rom th
th
th
th
th
th
th
th
the
Bi
Bi
B bl
bl
ble.
e.
e For
or
or
or
or Wal
al
al
al
ald,
d,
d,
d,
d, the
he
h Bib
ib
ibli
lica
cal th
th
th
t em
em
em
em
em
em
em
em
em
em
em
em
em
em
em
em
em
em
em
e es
es
es
es he se
se
sele
le
le
le
l ct
ct
ct
ct
ct
ct
ct
ct
ct
ct
ct
ct
ct
ct
ct
ct
ct
ct
cted
ed
ed
ed
ed
ed
e wer
er
er
er
e e re
re
re
re
rela
la
la
la
la
l te
te
te
ted to
to
to
to
to
to wha
ha
ha
ha
ha
h t
t
t
t he
he
he
he
he
he ter
er
er
e me
me
me
me
me
me
m d
‘o
‘o
‘our
ur pre
re
re
r se
se
se
sent
nt
nt
nt
nt day
ay
ay
ay
ay hap
ap
ap
appe
pe
p ni
ni
ning
ng
ngs’
s’
s . It was
as
as
as
as
as
as
as
as
as
as
as als
ls
ls
ls
ls
lso an
an
an opp
pp
pp
pp
pp
pp
pp
pp
ppor
or
or
or
or
or
or
or
or
or
o tu
tu
tu
tu
tu
tuni
ni
ni
ni
ni
ni
n ty
ty
ty
ty
ty for
or
or
or
or him
im
im
im
im
im
im
im to
o
o
o
o ta
ta
ta
ta
ta
take
ke
ke
ke
ke
ke
k iss
ss
ss
ss
ss
ssue
ue
ue
ue
ue
ue
ue
ue wit
it
it
it
ith
th
th
th
th
the Je
Jewi
wi
wish
sh
sh
sh com
om
om
om
om
ommu
mu
mu
mu
mu
muni
ni
ni
ni
ni
nity
ty
ty
ty
ty its
ts
ts
t el
el
e f
f on
on
on
o the
he
he sub
ub
ub
ub
ub
ub
ub
ub
ub
ub
ub
ub
ub
ub
ub
ub
ub
ub
ub
ub
ub
ub
ub
ub
ub
ub
ub
ub
ub
ub
ub
ub
ub
ub
ub
ub
ub
ub
ub
ub
ub
ub
ubje
je
je
je
je
je
je
je
je
je
je
je
je
je
je
j ct
ct
ct
ct
ct of
f ar
ar
art.
t.
t.
t.
t.
t.
t.
el
el
el
el
elec
ec
ec
ecte
te
te
te
te
te
t d
d
d fo
fo
fo
for
r
r in
in
in
incl
cl
cl
clus
us
us
usio
io
io
ion on
on
on
o the
he
he
he exh
xh
xh
x ib
ib
ibit
itio
ion of
of the
he
So
So
So
So
Sout
ut
ut
ut
ut
ut
u h
h
h Af
Af
Af
Afri
ri
ri
rica
ca
ca
can
n
n
n Ac
Ac
Ac
Acad
ad
ad
adem
em
em
emy
y
y
y in
in
in
in 194
94
94
944,
4,
4 Rus
us
u si
si
s an
a
Gi
Gi
Gi
Gi
Gi
Girl
rl
r is
s
s on
one
e of
of
of
of the
he
he
he few
ew
ew
ew sur
ur
ur
u vi
vi
vi
v vi
vi
vi
v ng
ng
ng
ng wor
or
o ks
ks
ks
k by
y
y Wa
Wald
ld
ld
ca
ca
carv
rv
rv
rved
ed
ed
ed
ed in ma
ma
ma
m rb
rble
le. It
It
It
Its
s
s id
id
id
idea
ea
ea
eali
li
li
lise
se
se
sed
d
d
d fe
fe
fe
feat
at
at
a ur
ur
ur
u es
es
e of
f
f wh
wh
w at
at
at
a
se
se
seem
em
em
ems
s to
to
to
to be a wo
work
rk
rk
rker
er
e pea
ea
easa
sa
sa
sant
nt
nt
nt gir
ir
ir
irl re
re
re
r ca
ca
call
ll
ll the
he
he spi
pi
piri
ri
rit
t
of
of Soc
oc
oc
ocia
ia
iali
li
list
st Rea
e lism pre
redo
do
d mi
mi
mina
na
nant
nt
nt in
n
n
n offi
offi
offi
offi ci
ci
ci
c al
al
al
al Rus
us
u si
si
sian
an
a
ar
art
t
t un
un
un
unde
de
de
d r
r
r St
Stal
alin
in at the
e ti
time
me, be
best
st
st rep
ep
epre
re
rese
se
se
sent
nt
nt
n ed
ed
ed by
y
y th
th
the
e
e
wo
wo
work
rk
rk of
f
f th
th
the
e
e sc
scul
ulpt
ptor
or
o Vera Mu
Mukh
kh
k in
ina.
a. Thi
hi
hi
h s
s op
op
opti
ti
timi
mist
stic
ic
i
an
and id
id
idea
ea
ea
ea
eali
li
l st
st
stic
ic
ic soc
oc
oc
o ia
ia
ia
i li
li
list
st
st ide
de
de
d al
al
al
a was
a als
lso
o em
embr
br
brac
ac
aced
ed
ed
ed
ed by
y
y
th
th
th
the fa
fa
fa
fa
fa
fa
fa
farm
rm
rm
rm
rm
rm
rm
rmer
er
er
er
e -w
-w
-w
-wor
or
orke
ke
k r
r
r se
se
sett
tt
tt
ttle
le
le
lers
rs
rs
rs
rs who
ho
h flock
cked
ed
ed to
o Is
Is
Isra
rael
el
el
wh
wh
wh
when
en
en
en
en
en it
t
t
t
t
t wa
wa
wa
was fo
fo
fo
fo
foun
un
un
unde
de
de
ded
d
d
d in
in
in
in 194
94
94
94
948.
8.
8. Thi
hi
hi
h s
s
s
s ac
ac
a co
co
c un
un
unts
ts
t for
or
th
th
th
th
th
the pe
pe
pe
pe
pe
pe
pe
pe
pe
perc
rc
rc
rc
rc
rc
rcei
ei
ei
ei
e ve
ve
ve
ved si
si
si
s gn
gn
gn
gnifi
ifi
ifi
ifi
i can
an
an
ance
ce
ce
ce
ce of
f
f th
th
this
is
is
is wor
or
or
or
or
or
o k
k
k in
in
in the
he ear
ar
arly
ly
ly
19
19
19
19
1950
50
50
50
50
50
50s,
s,
s,
s,
s,
s,
s, whe
he
he
he
hen
n
n it
it
it was
as use
se
se
sed on
on
on
on
on
on the
he
he
he cov
ov
ov
ov
ov
ov
ov
over
er
er
er
e of
f th
the
e
e
ma
ma
ma
ma
ma
ma
ma
ma
ma
ma
ma
ma
ma
ma
ma
ma
ma
ma
m ga
ga
ga
ga
ga
ga
ga
ga
ga
ga
ga
g zi
zi
zi
zi
zi
zi
z ne
ne
ne
ne
ne
n ,
,
, Je
Je
Jewi
wi
wi
wish
sh
sh
s Aff ff ff ai
airs
rs.
bst
stra
ra
ra
r ct
ct
ctio
io
ion wa
wa
w s do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
do
d mi
mi
m na
na
nant
nt
nt tre
re
r nd
nd
nd wit
it
ith th
th
th
the
e
e in
in
inte
te
tern
rn
r at
atio
io
io
iona
na
na
na
nal av
av
av
av
avan
an
an
a tg
tg
tg
t ar
ar
arde
de
de
de
de
de
de
de
d in
n
n th
th
th
the 19
19
19
19
1950
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50s
and
nd
nd
nd
n 60s
0s
0s whe
he
h n
n Wa
Wa
W ld
ld was
as mos
os
o t
t
t ac
ac
a ti
ti
t ve
ve as a
a
a sc
sc
s ul
ul
ulpt
pt
pt
ptor
or
or. Li
Li
Li
Li
L ke
ke
ke
ke man
an
an
an
an
an
an
an
an
an
an
an
an
an
any
y
y pr
pr
prac
ac
acti
ti
ti
ti
ti
ti
ti
ti
t si
si
si
si
si
si
si
s ng
ng
ng
ng
ng
ng
ng
ng
ng
ng
ng
ng
ng
ng
ng
ng
ng
ng
ng
ng
scu
cu
cu
cu
c lp
lp
lp
lp
lp
lp
lp
lp
lp
lp
lpto
to
to
to
to
to
t rs
rs he op
opte
ted
d to
to wor
or
ork
k
k in
in
in a var
ar
ar
a ie
ie
iety
ty
ty
ty
ty of
f fi fi gu
gu
gura
ra
r ti
ti
ti
tive
ve
ve
v sty
ty
tyle
le
les,
s,
s,
s wit
it
it
it
it
it
it
it
ith oc
oc
oc
o ca
ca
ca
ca
ca
ca
ca
ca
ca
ca
ca
ca
ca
ca
ca
ca
c si
si
si
si
si
si
si
si
si
si
si
si
s on
on
on
on
on
on
on
on
onal
al
al
al
al
al
al
al
al
al
al
al
a
fo
fo
fora
ra
r ys
ys
ys int
nt
nt
nt
nt
nt
nt
nt
nt
nt
nt
nt
nt
nt
nto ab
abst
stra
ract
ctio
ion.
n. The
he
h lat
at
atte
te
ter
r on
on
only
ly
ly
ly rea
ea
eall
ll
lly
y
y
y to
to
took
ok
ok pla
la
lace
ce
ce lat
at
at
ate in
in
in
in
in his
is
is
is lif
if
if
ife,
e,
e,
e bet
et
etwe
we
ween
en
en
en
en
en
en
en
en
en
en
en
en
en
e
c.
c.
c 19
19
19
19
19
1968
68
68
68
6 and
nd
nd 197
970.
0. Wor
orks
ks
ks suc
uch as
as
as Bi
Bi
Bi
B rt
rt
rth of
of
of
of an
n
n Id
Id
Id
I ea
ea
ea,
, Tê
Tê
Têtê
tê à têt
êt
êtê and
nd
nd
nd
nd wer
er
ere
e
e
e
e al
al
al
al
al
al
a l pr
pr
pr
pr
prod
od
od
od
od
od
od
od
od
od
od
od
od
od
od
od
od
od
oduc
uc
uc
uc
uc
uc
uc
uc
uc
uc
uc
uc
uc
uc
uc
u ed
ed
ed
ed
ed
ed
ed
ed
ed
ed
ed
ed
ed
ju
ju
ju
just
st
st
st
s bef
ef
efor
or
o e hi
hi
h s
s un
un
u ti
time
mely
ly
ly
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re.
ald’s ‘African’ works form only a small
part of his artistic output. Like many artists
of European origin, he felt the attraction
of the so-called ‘exotic’ when he came to Africa.
Attracted by the colour and quality of local South
African hardwoods, he carved a number of pieces
on African themes, with highly-polished surfaces
and fl owing concavities, such as Mother and Child
III (1955-65). The latter approximates the totemic
I
quality of European prehistoric objects that he had
seen in European museums. Apart from carving
techniques, Wald also tackled African subjects using
modelling and casting techniques, as
in works such as Zulu Protector
(1968-69). Here, once again,
his evocation of the
totemic seems strongly
in evidence.
ike many of the modern sculptors
that he encountered in his wanderings
as a student in Europe, Wald was
preoccupied with sculptural approaches to
the human form. During the four years he
spent in England (1933-1937), he became
familiar with the work of three important
sculptors: Jacob Epstein, Henry Moore and
Frank Dobson. Virtually all of Wald’s works
produced in Europe have been lost and
we only know of them from photographs.
Many of these have been included in this
exhibition to give visitors some idea of the
scope and range of his work. It is perhaps
this range and diversity that critics perceived
as a weakness rather than a strength.
assed (1939) is a work that Wald
d
made in South Africa as a warning
against a repeat of the horrors of
the First World War (1914-1918), when
poison gas was used as a weapon in trench
warfare. This contorted human fi gure,
made in February of 1939, prophesied the
outbreak of war in September. It was a war
that would lead to the Holocaust of the
Jews of Europe and the murder of Wald’s
Hungarian family at Auschwitz. In some
ways Gassed prefi gures Wald’s other works
d
that deal – either directly or through literary
allusion – with the Holocaust. Works such as
Job and Cain relate this, as does of course
his Monument to the Six Million.
Gassed
Mother and Child III Bi
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mm
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m e
rotic and literary themes abound in Wald’s work, and in this sense it can be
seen as being part of the Symbolist tradition in European art, which was little
understood or appreciated in South Africa. In Wald’s work the human body
becomes a vehicle for spirituality and abstraction; a merging and interpenetration
of male and female. This is especially seen in his Man and his Soul, The Lovers and
most remarkably in La Femme. The latter, a late work, is reminiscent of the highly
abstract yet allusive work of Constantin Brancusi. It is highly phallic, but at the same
time unmistakably female.
Ph
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phy:
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