The Matchmaker (The Shadchan) A rare Judaic Wedding Marriage Broker Scene. This does not appear to be hand signed. Albert Abramovitz (1879-1963), born in Riga, Latvia, on January 24, 1879. He studied art at the Imperial Art School in Odessa and at the Grande Chaumière in Paris. In Paris, he became a member of the Salon in 1911. In 1913 he became a member of its jury. He also became a member or of the Salon d’Automne. While in Europe he received a medal at Clichy and an award in Paris, as well as the Grand Prize at the Universal Exhibition in Rome and Turin, Italy in 1911. In 1916, Abramovitz came to America. In 1921, he had a first solo show at the Civic Club in Manhattan. During the 1940’s and 50’s, he lived in Brooklyn.In the 1940’s he had a one-man show at the Bonestall Gallery (1940). He also exhibited at the Art Institute of Chicago (1938, 1940), Union of American Artists (1940), American Artists Congresses exhibition (1941 “In Defense of Culture”), American Art, ACA Gallery (1942 – “Artists in the War”), New-Age Gallery (1943, 1946), National Academy of Design (1946), American Association of University Women (1946), and the American Artists Congress. He was one of many jewish artists active in the WPA along with Ben Shahn (1898–1969): A leading Social Realist, Shahn is famous for his WPA murals and Farm Security Administration photography. His work often focused on labor rights and immigrant life. Raphael Soyer (1899–1987): Known for his empathetic portrayals of the urban poor, unemployed workers, and street life in New York City. Moses Soyer (1899–1974): Like his brother Raphael, he was a Social Realist painter whose WPA works focused on the quiet dignity of working-class people. William Gropper (1897–1977): A radical cartoonist and painter who used sharp satire to critique political and social corruption. Joseph Hirsch (1910–1981): A muralist and illustrator who depicted ordinary Americans. His FAP works, such as "Fruit in the Rain," highlight his focus on human empathy. Harry Sternberg (1904–2001): Prolific printmaker and muralist whose work often addressed industrial labor and social evils. Ida Abelman (1908–2002): A notable woman artist of the WPA whose lithographs, such as "Via Northwestern," captured urban life. Abstract and Surrealist Contributors While Social Realism dominated, some Jewish artists used the WPA to push toward abstraction: Ilya Bolotowsky (1907–1981): A pioneer of abstract art who created murals for the Williamsburg Housing Project under the WPA. Reuben Kadish (1913–1991): Created the surrealist WPA mural "A Dissertation on Alchemy" in San Francisco, which was recently restored in 2023. Lee Krasner (1908–1984): Before becoming a central figure in Abstract Expressionism, she worked for the WPA's Mural Division. Other Notable Jewish WPA Artists Leon Bibel: Focused on labor rights and poverty; later created works with explicitly Jewish themes like synagogue arks. Boris Gorelick: A muralist whose work often reflected the hardships and resilience of the Jewish diaspora. Beatrice Mandelman: A printmaker and painter associated with the WPA in both New York and New Mexico. Louis Lozowick: Famed for his Precisionist prints of industrial America. and Jacob Kainen. His works are in the collections of the: British Museum, Library of Congress, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York Public Library, Victoria and Albert Museum.