This online exhibition explores Ben Uri's extensive collections of artworks and archives, both more than a century old, with unique pieces reflecting the prevailing cultural heritage of the organisation's founders: émigré Lazar Berson and his Yiddish speaking co-religionists, Eastern-European artisans and businessmen, fleeing pogroms in the Russian Pale of Settlement. 'The Jewish-National Decorative Art Association (London) Ben Ouri', was established in Whitechapel in London's East End ghetto in 1915, within a dynamic Yiddish-speaking community, born out of this first wave of Jewish migration.

Artists featured in this Curation: Jacob Kramer (1892–1962), David Bomberg (1890–1957), Lazar Berson (1882–1954), Josef Herman (1911–2000), Boris Aronson (1898–1980), Leon Kossoff (1926–2019), Jankel Adler (1895–1949), Ebenezer Challis (1806–1881), Bedřich (Frederick) Feigl (1884–1965), Dora Holzhandler (1928–2015), and 6 more
20 artworks
Storyline Album Showcase
Israel Zangwill (1864–1926)
© estate of John David Roberts. By courtesy of the William Roberts Society. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Israel Zangwill (1864–1926) 1925

Jacob Kramer (1892–1962)

Charcoal & white chalk on paper

H 47 x W 43 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Ghetto Theatre
© the estate of David Bomberg. All rights reserved, DACS 2024. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Ghetto Theatre 1920

David Bomberg (1890–1957)

Oil on canvas

H 74.5 x W 62 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Design for Ben Uri Art Society
© the copyright holder. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Design for Ben Uri Art Society c.1915

Lazar Berson (1882–1954)

Pen & ink on paper & board

H 26.7 x W 22 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Design with Deer
© the copyright holder. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Design with Deer 1915

Lazar Berson (1882–1954)

Pen & ink on paper & board

H 21.6 x W 29.2 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Ben Uri Album: Design with Hands
© the copyright holder. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Ben Uri Album: Design with Hands 1916

Lazar Berson (1882–1954)

Pen & ink on paper

H 26 x W 32 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Ben Uri Album
© the copyright holder. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Ben Uri Album 1916

Lazar Berson (1882–1954)

Pen & ink on paper

H 32 x W 26 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Ben Uri Album: Monument to Theodor Herzl
© the copyright holder. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Ben Uri Album: Monument to Theodor Herzl 1916

Lazar Berson (1882–1954)

Pen & ink on paper

H 32 x W 26 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Avram Stencl (1897–1983)
© estate of Josef Herman. All rights reserved, DACS 2024. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Avram Stencl (1897–1983) 1946

Josef Herman (1911–2000)

Pencil & charcoal on paper

H 62.7 x W 45.2 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Tevye the Milkman
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Tevye the Milkman c.1930

Boris Aronson (1898–1980)

Woodcut on paper

H 15 x W 14.4 cm

Ben Uri Collection

N. M. Seedo (1906–1985)
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

N. M. Seedo (1906–1985) c.1957

Leon Kossoff (1926–2019)

Charcoal on paper

H 103 x W 71 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Ein Jude
Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Ein Jude c.1926

Jankel Adler (1895–1949)

Etching on paper

H 44.5 x W 34.7 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Interior of a Synagogue
Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Interior of a Synagogue c.1851

Ebenezer Challis (1806–1881)

Etching on paper

H 13.5 x W 10.5 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Bevis Marks Synagogue
© the copyright holder. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Bevis Marks Synagogue 1954

Bedřich (Frederick) Feigl (1884–1965)

Watercolour, gouache on paper & cardboard

H 35 x W 51.7 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Group of Jews: The Minyan
© the artist's estate / Bridgeman Images. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Group of Jews: The Minyan 2000

Dora Holzhandler (1928–2015)

Oil on canvas

H 49 x W 39 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Leaving Cheder
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Leaving Cheder

Adam Muszka (1914–2005)

Oil on canvas on board

H 59.5 x W 48.5 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Chanukiah with Doves
© the copyright holder. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Chanukiah with Doves

Moshe Oved (1885–1958)

Bronze

H 27 x W 38 x D 16 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Chanukiah
© the copyright holder. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Chanukiah

David Palombo (1920–1966)

Bronze

H 58.3 x W 24.2 x D 26 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Passover
© the copyright holder. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Passover 1957

Jacob Bornfriend (1904–1976)

Lithograph on paper

H 36 x W 27 cm

Ben Uri Collection

One Kid Goat (Chad Gadya)
© the copyright holder. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

One Kid Goat (Chad Gadya) 1961

Anatoli Lvovich Kaplan (1902–1980)

Lithograph on paper

H 49 x W 35.5 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Ketubah
© the copyright holder. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Ketubah

Ya'akov Boussidan (b.1939)

Silkscreen on paper

H 55 x W 38.5 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Explore artists in this Curation

View all 16
  • Interior of a Synagogue
    Ebenezer Challis (1806–1881)
  • Ben Uri Album – Cover
    Lazar Berson (1882–1954)
  • Still Life with Bird
    Jacob Bornfriend (1904–1976)
  • Self Portrait Looking Up
    Leon Kossoff (1926–2019)
  • The Restaurant
    Bedřich (Frederick) Feigl (1884–1965)
  • The Day of Atonement
    Jacob Kramer (1892–1962)
  • Leaving Cheder
    Adam Muszka (1914–2005)
  • Tevye the Milkman
    Boris Aronson (1898–1980)
  • No Man's Land
    Jankel Adler (1895–1949)
  • Wedding Night
    Dora Holzhandler (1928–2015)
  • View all 16
View all