Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-06-19
SIX BIBLE PICTURES
HAVE STRIKING APPEAL
Work of Abel Pam. Jewish Artist.
Shown at Alliance
Rooms
MISS ClAt,.S FOX

SIN or tho first illustra lions Tor the great
biblical series planned by Abel Pam, the
Russian Jewish artist. are hung now at the
Art Alliance. 1929 Walnut street, in the
remarkable collection of his paintings and
etchings that is on exhibition there Tile
collection has been moved from the War
Chest headquarters and win be on view at
the alliance until June 2s
To put forth an edition of the Bible. for
which he shall illustrate fully all the great
stories, Is the work that Mr. Pam has set
himself. and for which he has been preparing
himself-a work which will require at least
twelve years. The prospect of time does not
concern him: in spite of the fact that he has
won fame in Europe and has several pictures
hung in the Luxemborg. the ante-chamber to
the Louvre, he is still young man. The
question of whether he Is capable of carrying
out the work with a consistent grasp and
power does not trouble him. He says simply:
you may think it immodesi, but / feel I
could do justice to the task
Those who have seen the pictures on ex-
hbtion here must realize, in sense at
least, the justice of his faith in himself.
That quality in them which must be Judged
outside the realm of artistic skill and sensi-
tiveness reveals an insight into the truth and
reality of life that could come only from
inspiration.
It is not that Abel Pam has not seen and
felt what he has painted. A brief glimpse
into the story of his life shows that he has
faced the suffering and the horrors that seem
to be the heritage of all great men and of
the eNed Russian Jew: but the simplicity
with which he has dramatized the unspeak-
able tragedies is the simplicity Of the genius
that sees with the keener sight and expresses
in universal language.
The pictures cAnnOt be described il would
be only cluRsH effort at best. They can
be seen and felt. They do not appeal to any
surface emotion. but reach far down. leaving
an impression that cannot be thrown of.
sense of unspeakable distress and helpless
ness and kinship with all those in the world
who suffer. Perhaps no pictures that have
been shown in America have had such power
to stir persons with silent appeal.
One loo,,s at the face of the artist and at
the pictures. Yesterday he was reviewing
them wandering about the room and pausing
from time to time before some grim, dark
little sketch before a quaint picture in
which cleaned ray of demure humor. He
Is small and serene, with gentle blue eyes
and a brown beard As he says, he doesn't
talk much; all he has to say is easier to
saw in the pictures He y shy or. perhaps. il
seems so, because he does not speak English
and has a hard time making 100 per cent
Americans understand him.
He was born in Russia. and his father,
who was a rabbi in the Jewish Church, first
wanted him to follow in his footsteps, but
when Abel Pam had drawn all over many
of his finest books he realized that what
would be the churchs loss Sr1ight be the
worlds gain.
Pam ran away from home when he was
twelve raising his funds by the simple method
Of initiating his fathers handwriting in a
letter TO a friend asking for three rubies.
. Then came long, bitter struggle to enter
an art school, and the srimmest poverty.
once he spent his last three kopecks for a
nostal card on which he wrote a pathetic
note to his father appealing for help in his
terrible despair. Then when he had posted
n he remembered that In his mental distress
he had forgotten to address it,
Finally came success. picture was
bought by the Luxembourg; he is assured Of
lasting recognition.
Rut all this has been preparatory work.
He has been to Palestine. II Is the country
of the wandering, scattered Jewish race, and
10 Abel Pam il Is the real fatheriand Here
he has been studying, so that he can draw
the n,c,ures of the Bible stories. Although
this great work will take many years to
compIete small series of the pictures viii
be exhibited from time to time
Although he has been working out many
of his sketches in Palestine, II was here that
he first conceived the idea OF illustrating the
bible: and It is hoped that he VIII be able
TO continue his work In Philadelphia, n was
mere that the new Jewish Bible In English
was got out Isaac Lesser made "A transla-
lion Of the Jewish Bible while he was living
here Now translation OF many OF the Jewish
classics il under way. Mr. Pam believes
that the time Is ripe for the work and be
belisyes that he must - - ene = e4 -