Seymour Rosenthal
1921-2007, New York
Born in the Bronx, NY, Seymour’s artistry was shaped during the Great Depression. His artwork is featured, among other institutions, at The White House, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Museum of the City of New York.
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Featured Artwork
Colored Lithographs
Letters of Recognition
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Shabbat Shalom Sabbath Peace
Shabbat Shalom Sabbath Peace by Seymour Rosenthal.
Colored Lithograph
Unframed
Canvas – 25″ x 19″
Certificate of authenticity included
Date: 1960’s
Price: $550
The woman featured here is believed to be Seymour’s mother-in-law, preparing to welcome the Sabbath. Seymour always cherished the day of rest, and loved to watch his family partake in it’s observance. Those same candlestick holders remained with Seymour for the rest of his life.
Papa’s World
Colored Lithograph
Unframed
Certificate of authenticity included
Canvas – 23 1/4″ x 17″
Date: 1960’s
Price: $550
This is a picture of David Friedlander, Seymour’s father in law; a man he had tremendous respect for. In this picture, Seymour captured David enjoying himself in his favorite rocking chair while playing his violin.
Holiday Shopping
“Holiday Shopping” by Seymour Rosenthal.
Colored Lithograph
Unframed
Canvas – 25″ x 19″
Certificate of authenticity included
Date: 1960’s
Price: $550
Seymour’s immigrant grandparents living in the US are so proud to be able to celebrate the holidays without the fear of being persecuted. They take a casual stroll home from the market preparing to celebrate Passover. The bottle of wine is placed on his heart, and the cherry tree signifies the sweetness of a safe life. This piece resonates with the spirit of gratitude. It’s one of the many significant works available at the YAAANA Seymour Rosenthal Lithograph Auction.
Barney’s Lunch
“Barney’s Lunch” by Seymour Rosenthal.
Colored Lithograph
Unframed
Canvas – 19 3/4″ x 26″
Certificate of authenticity included
Date: 1970’s
Price: $550
While the cost of a sack of fruit is being discussed between patron and merchant , a horse name Barney who is not privy to such details, snatches a free bite for himself.
The Pickle Lady
“The Pickle Lady” by Seymour Rosenthal.
Colored Lithograph
Unframed
Canvas – 26″ x 20″
Certificate of authenticity included
Date: 1960’s
Price: $550
Here, we can see the Pickle Lady; another of Seymour’s memories being recreated. Regularly seen on the streets of the lower east side of Manhattan, the Pickle Lady would work hard all day trying to make ends meet.This lithograph brings to life the vibrant character of Manhattan’s Lower East Side, showcasing Seymour’s attention to the diverse fabric of American life, a key highlight of our YAAANA Seymour Rosenthal Lithograph Auction.
The Treasure Seeker
“The Treasure Seeker” by Seymour Rosenthal.
Colored Lithograph
Unframed
Canvas – 26 1/4″ x 20″
Certificate of authenticity included
Date: 1960’s
Price: $550
A timeless image of a homeless American citizen rummaging through a trash can searching for anything that can be of use to her. She finds a newspaper with the caption “Great Society.”
The Bird Feeders
The Bird Feeders – Lithograph by Seymour Rosenthal.
Colored Lithograph
Unframed
Canvas – 25 3/4 ” x 19 3/4″
Certificate of authenticity included
Date: 1960’s
Price: $550
Seymour loved everything dear in this world, including nature. He would often enjoy feeding the birds with his wife Frances, as they’d enjoy a nice walk in the park nearby their home. These were the innocent and precious moments that meant so much to him. A moment of serenity and connection with nature captured by Seymour Rosenthal. This lithograph is a testament to the simple joys of life.
The Sweet Potato Lady
Colored Lithograph
Unframed
Canvas – 26″ x 20 3/4″
Certificate of authenticity included
Date: 1960’s
Price: $550
Growing up on the Lower Eastside of Manhattan during the Great Depression, Seymour witnessed many people enduring hardships. Here, we can see a weathered old woman selling sweet potatoes on a street corner, doing whatever she can to help her family make ends meet. Pieces like this would go on to be a common theme in Seymour’s work.
The Toy Man
“The Toy Man” by Seymour Rosenthal.
Colored Lithograph
Unframed
Canvas – 25 3/4″ x 19 1/2″
Certificate of authenticity included
Date: 1960’s
Price: $550
The toyman always had a smile on his face. He would bring joy to the children of the lower east side of Manhattan. His balloons always had something positive to say, regardless of how difficult the times were. Seymour would often remind his family and friends that these hard working people were happy to be alive and well, despite working hard and being paid small.
The Philosophers
“The Philosophers” by Seymour Rosenthal.
Colored Lithograph
Unframed
Canvas – 19 3/4″ x 25 3/4″
Certificate of authenticity included
Date: 1960’s
Price: $550
Seymour loved capturing moments of people becoming close with their connection to God and religion. In this picture, we can see three wise men studying the Torah, forever trying to better themselves in the ways of Judaism.
In The Park
“In the Park” by Seymour Rosenthal.
Colored Lithograph
Unframed
Canvas – 26″ x 19 3/4″
Certificate of authenticity included
Date: 1960’s
Price: $550
The lake in Kissena park (Flushing, Queens) was a regular place to visit for both Seymour and his wife. They loved to spend the day relaxing as they watched people enjoying themselves.
Merry Go Round
“Merry Go Round” by Seymour Rosenthal.
Colored Lithograph
Unframed
Canvas – 20″ ” 26″
Certificate of authenticity included
Date: 1970’s
Price: $550
The merry-go-round was a place of happiness in a world that was full of challenges and rough times. Seymour had fond memories of getting a chance to ride on the merry-go-round, but equally as fond were the memories of other children laughing and enjoying themselves as well.
Gutting a Fish
“Gutting a Fish” by Seymour Rosenthal.
Original Egg Tempera Painting
Canvas – 19 1/2″ x 15 1/4″
Framed – 24 1/2″ x 20 1/2 ”
Date: 1948
Price: $18,000
The fish market was a place of great excitement and action. This was a place where you could learn a lot about people! In this piece, we can see how the daily work would take a toll on these people. Yet, despite the tough working days, they were happy to be alive and making a living.
Making Kasha
“Making Kasha” by Seymour Rosenthal.
Original Watercolor
Unframed
Art – 20 ” x 14 ”
Date: 1963
Price: $8,000
A woman (perhaps Seymour’s mother) preparing kasha for a Sabbath dinner (notice the candles).
Moses and The Burning Bush
“Moses and the Burning Bush” by Seymour Rosenthal.
Original Watercolor
Art – 11 3/4 ” x 9 1/2 ”
Framed – 21 1/4 ” x 17″
Date: 1970s
Price: $8,000
In this original watercolor we can see one of Seymour’s interpretations of Moses with the 10-Commandments, only this time we can also see the incorporation of the burning bush. Seymour often attributed the 10-Commandments being the solution to all of humanity’s ailments.
The Butcher
Original watercolor
Art -19 1/2″ x 13 3/4″
Framed – 27 1/4″ x 21 1/4″
Date: 1978
Price: $7,000
One of the many people Seymour would interact with, the butcher was one that everyone in his community knew. People would line up to get freshly prepared meats and poultry from the local butcher seen here (found in Seymour’s stomping grounds on the lower east side of Manhattan).
Quitting Time
Egg Tempera
Art- 21 1/2″ x 15 1/2″
Framed – 25 1/2″ x 19 1/2″
Date: 1948
Price: $18,000
Seymour’s egg tempera paintings of the 1940’s and 50’s give us a unique view into what life truly was like for the working people of the lower east side in Manhattan, In the work above, we can see a man placing down his broom as he looks at the clock intently; quitting time!
The Candle Vendor
Original Oil Painting
Canvas – 29 1/2 ” x 23 1/2″
Framed – 32 3/4 ” x 26 3/4 ”
Date: 1967
Price: $13,000
An elderly man trying to make a living selling candles on the streets of the lower east side in Manhattan. Seymour made it a point to capture every bit of reality and grit these people dealt with on a daily basis, as can be seen here by the old wooden box the vendor is sitting on. If you wanted to have burning candles at your Sabbath dinner, then you needed to visit the candle vendor.
Sitting Butcher
Original Watercolor
Unframed
Canvas – 24″ x 18″
Date – 2002
Price: $7,000
Similar to the piece above, here we see a butcher waiting for customers. We can see a freshly prepared chicken hanging, perhaps ready to be taken home for a Sabbath dinner on a Friday night.
Finished in 2002, sadly this was towards the end of Seymour’s legacy (he passed away in December of 2007).
Rabbi Studying
Original Egg Tempera & Oil painting
Art – 29 1/4″ x 19″
Framed – 32 1/2 ” x 22 1/2″
Date: 1948
Price: $15,000
This piece is unique in Seymour’s work, in that it features a blend of both the egg tempera and oil mediums. The subject of the piece is a Rabbi deep in his studies, perhaps pondering the many questions he would have had from the times he lived though. Judica would go on to be a prominent part of Seymour’s work later on in his career.
Moses Freeman’s Fruit Cart
Original Watercolor
Unframed
Canvas 24″x18″
Date: 1993
Price: $7,000
Here we see an elderly man selling fruit in his “pushcart” (as Seymour would often say). Mr. Moses Freeman was one of many people who made a living selling what they could on the busy streets of the lower east side of Manhattan. We can see the toll that a physical job has taken on this man, as he clearly appears hunched over as he carries his produce. Despite the pain, he still carries a smile.
Seymour Rosenthal
Born in the Bronx on August 14, 1921, and raised on the Lower East Side of Manhattan in New York City, Joseph Seymour Rosenthal learned to interpret the world through his art at a very young age. Selftaught and motivated by the events of an everchanging world around him, he was drawn to capture what he witnessed. Growing up as a child of the Great Depression, Seymour was moved by the hardships of everyday people seeking out ways to survive in New York City in the 1930’s. Through his various sketches and watercolor drawings, one can instantly be transported back to a time and place of a city on the brink of great strife, and also of great resurgence. As Seymour became older, he grew closer and more attached to the religious traditions and memories that he was surrounded with during his youth. It is here where we can see the influence of Seymour’s grandparents and family gatherings within his works. Many of the subjects in his paintings can be seen with bloodshot eyes, worn skin, and tired looks, as though they were contemplating the past events of their lives. Yet despite their hardened experiences, one can still see happiness, optimism, and pride while gathering with family for the holidays or simply enjoying the gift of being alive.
Drafted into the Second World War, Seymour developed an entirely different approach and motivation for his art. Although serving stateside, he made sure to bring the front lines of the war to the people of New York through his provocative, blunt, cynical, and at times morbidly disturbing imagery. Within this segment of Seymour’s catalogue, his passion for showing the suffrage and hardships brought onto those who were unfairly born of the wrong ethnicity or race is clear. Both his political commentary and love of the enduring human spirit are evident.
Although Seymour passed on December 13th, 2007, his works live on in various museums, galleries, and synagogues throughout the world, including the “N.Y. Metropolitan Museum of Art” and the “Technion Museum” in Haifa Israel. He is survived by his beloved wife Frances, a daughter and son, and four grandchildren.