Isaac Snowman
Encyclopedia
Isaac Snowman was an English artist.
He was educated at the City of London School
. In 1890 he entered the Royal Academy School, where he gained a free medal, and afterward a scholarship in the Institution of British Artists. He showed his interest in Jewish matters by his drawings "A Difficult Passage in the Talmud
" and "The Blessing of Sabbath Lights," as well as by his "Early Morning Prayer in the Synagogue." In that year, 1897, he formed a group of English Jews known as the Maccabaeans
, including Israel Zangwill
and Herbert Bentwich
, which undertook a pilgrimage to Palestine
in the same year.
Of his paintings, which were devoted mainly to portraits and domestic views, "Children's Voices" (1901) attracted a great deal of attention, and "The Bride" (1904) was very popular at the time. He also exhibited a study of "Sardanapalus," as well as "The Wailing-Place at Jerusalem" and "The Proclamation of Joseph as Ruler of Egypt."
Isaac Snowman was married to Pearl Alexander at the North London Synagogue on 13 September 1898. According to the report in The Times
the marriage was never a happy one for the wife owing to the husband's exaggerated views on the subject of "wifely obedience." They lived in Algiers and Hampstead, and after their son died they adopted a daughter.
In August 1907, Isaac Snowman left for Africa to execute a commission for the King of Dahomey
. Subsequently Pearl filed for divorce on grounds of statutory desertion and adultery, which was granted in June 1909.
Isaac Snowman moved to Jerusalem, where he had a studio over the Damascus Gate
. In the riots that occurred in Jerusalem on 2 November 1921, Snowman encountered a mob and, while trying to make his way through with two friends, was stabbed.
The outbreak of the Second World War found Snowman on a visit to England and his failing health prevented him from returning to his home in Jerusalem.
Isaac Snowman died peacefully on 11 February 1947, and his funeral was held the following day at Willesden Cemetery.
He was educated at the City of London School
City of London School
The City of London School is a boys' independent day school on the banks of the River Thames in the City of London, England. It is the brother school of the City of London School for Girls and the co-educational City of London Freemen's School...
. In 1890 he entered the Royal Academy School, where he gained a free medal, and afterward a scholarship in the Institution of British Artists. He showed his interest in Jewish matters by his drawings "A Difficult Passage in the Talmud
Talmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
" and "The Blessing of Sabbath Lights," as well as by his "Early Morning Prayer in the Synagogue." In that year, 1897, he formed a group of English Jews known as the Maccabaeans
Maccabaeans
The Maccabaeans is an Anglo-Jewish charity. Started in 1891, it is a friendly society, established in 1894, and registered on the 8th of May, 1901, under the Friendly Societies' Act, as amended 1896...
, including Israel Zangwill
Israel Zangwill
Israel Zangwill was a British humorist and writer.-Biography:Zangwill was born in London on January 21, 1864 in a family of Jewish immigrants from Czarist Russia, to Moses Zangwill from what is now Latvia and Ellen Hannah Marks Zangwill from what is now Poland. He dedicated his life to championing...
and Herbert Bentwich
Herbert Bentwich
Herbert Bentwich was a British Zionist leader and lawyer.He was an authority on copyright law, and owner/editor of the Law Journal for many years. He was a leading member of the English Hovevei Zion and one of the first followers of Theodor Herzl in England...
, which undertook a pilgrimage to Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
in the same year.
Of his paintings, which were devoted mainly to portraits and domestic views, "Children's Voices" (1901) attracted a great deal of attention, and "The Bride" (1904) was very popular at the time. He also exhibited a study of "Sardanapalus," as well as "The Wailing-Place at Jerusalem" and "The Proclamation of Joseph as Ruler of Egypt."
Isaac Snowman was married to Pearl Alexander at the North London Synagogue on 13 September 1898. According to the report in The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
the marriage was never a happy one for the wife owing to the husband's exaggerated views on the subject of "wifely obedience." They lived in Algiers and Hampstead, and after their son died they adopted a daughter.
In August 1907, Isaac Snowman left for Africa to execute a commission for the King of Dahomey
Dahomey
Dahomey was a country in west Africa in what is now the Republic of Benin. The Kingdom of Dahomey was a powerful west African state that was founded in the seventeenth century and survived until 1894. From 1894 until 1960 Dahomey was a part of French West Africa. The independent Republic of Dahomey...
. Subsequently Pearl filed for divorce on grounds of statutory desertion and adultery, which was granted in June 1909.
Isaac Snowman moved to Jerusalem, where he had a studio over the Damascus Gate
Damascus Gate
Damascus Gate is the main entrance to the Old City of Jerusalem. It is located in the wall on the city's northwest side where the highway leads out to Nablus, and from there, in times past, to the capital of Syria, Damascus; as such, its modern English name is Damascus Gate, and its modern Hebrew...
. In the riots that occurred in Jerusalem on 2 November 1921, Snowman encountered a mob and, while trying to make his way through with two friends, was stabbed.
The outbreak of the Second World War found Snowman on a visit to England and his failing health prevented him from returning to his home in Jerusalem.
Isaac Snowman died peacefully on 11 February 1947, and his funeral was held the following day at Willesden Cemetery.