Jacob Pins
Encyclopedia
Jacob Otto Pins was a German-Israeli woodcut artist and notable art collector, particularly of Japanese prints and paintings.
Pins was born in Höxter
, Germany, the son of Dr Leo Pins, a veterinarian
, and his wife Ida Lipper. He moved to Palestine
in 1936, on a student visa. His father tried to discourage him from studying art, believing it to be a poor choice financially. His younger brother Rudolph (born 1920) emigrated to the USA in 1934. Both of his parents died in the Riga ghetto
in July, 1944, his father having earlier been imprisoned in Buchenwald.
Pins first lived on a kibbutz, which was disbanded in 1941. He moved to Jerusalem and studied woodcut and linocut under woodcut master and painter Jacob Steinhardt
, also a German immigrant, at his small private school. He lived in poverty in a tiny room, subsisting on a meagre diet. He continued his studies at the new Bezalel Academy of Art and Design
.
Pins bought his first oriental print in 1945, and acquired a house on Ethiopia Street, opposite the Ethiopian church, where he lived for the rest of his life. He continued collecting until his death and was one of Israel's foremost art collectors. HIs book on Japanese Pillar Prints, Hashira-e is the definitive work on the subject.
His own artwork was heavily influenced by German expressionism
and traditional Japanese wood block printing.
From 1956–1977, Pins taught at all Israel's leading art schools, most notably Bezalel, where he later became a professor. He was known as a demanding teacher, emphasising strong technical skills and discipline.
In the 1950s, Pins established Jerusalem's Artists' House, which fast became a centre for the city's artists to both meet and exhibit. It remains central to the city's artistic life.
He died in Jerusalem.
, where it forms the Jacob Pins Collection.
Most of his own artwork was left to his home town, and the Forum Jacob Pins museum opened there in 2008.
Nimrod Erez made a feature length documentary about Pins, and this is in the permanent collection of MOMA
, New York. A shorter documentary is on exhibition at the Jacob Pins Forum, Höxter.
Pins was born in Höxter
Höxter
Höxter is the seat of the Höxter district, and a town in eastern North Rhine-Westphalia on the left bank of the river Weser, 52 km north of Kassel in the centre of the Weser Uplands...
, Germany, the son of Dr Leo Pins, a veterinarian
Veterinarian
A veterinary physician, colloquially called a vet, shortened from veterinarian or veterinary surgeon , is a professional who treats disease, disorder and injury in animals....
, and his wife Ida Lipper. He moved 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 1936, on a student visa. His father tried to discourage him from studying art, believing it to be a poor choice financially. His younger brother Rudolph (born 1920) emigrated to the USA in 1934. Both of his parents died in the Riga ghetto
Riga Ghetto
The Riga Ghetto was a small area in Maskavas Forštate, neighborhood of Riga, Latvia, designated by the Nazis where Jews from Latvia, and later from Germany, were forced to live during World War II. On October 25, 1941, the Nazis relocated all Jews from Riga and the vicinity to the ghetto while the...
in July, 1944, his father having earlier been imprisoned in Buchenwald.
Pins first lived on a kibbutz, which was disbanded in 1941. He moved to Jerusalem and studied woodcut and linocut under woodcut master and painter Jacob Steinhardt
Jacob Steinhardt
Jacob Steinhardt was an Israeli painter and woodcut artist.-Biography:Jacob Steinhardt was born in Żerków, Germany . He attended the School of Art in Berlin in 1906, then studied painting with Louis Corinth and engraving with Hermann Struck in 1907...
, also a German immigrant, at his small private school. He lived in poverty in a tiny room, subsisting on a meagre diet. He continued his studies at the new Bezalel Academy of Art and Design
Bezalel Academy of Art and Design
Bezalel Academy of Art and Design is Israel's national school of art, founded in 1906 by Boris Schatz. It is named for the Biblical figure Bezalel, son of Uri , who was appointed by Moses to oversee the design and construction of the Tabernacle ....
.
Pins bought his first oriental print in 1945, and acquired a house on Ethiopia Street, opposite the Ethiopian church, where he lived for the rest of his life. He continued collecting until his death and was one of Israel's foremost art collectors. HIs book on Japanese Pillar Prints, Hashira-e is the definitive work on the subject.
His own artwork was heavily influenced by German expressionism
German Expressionism
German Expressionism refers to a number of related creative movements beginning in Germany before the First World War that reached a peak in Berlin, during the 1920s...
and traditional Japanese wood block printing.
From 1956–1977, Pins taught at all Israel's leading art schools, most notably Bezalel, where he later became a professor. He was known as a demanding teacher, emphasising strong technical skills and discipline.
In the 1950s, Pins established Jerusalem's Artists' House, which fast became a centre for the city's artists to both meet and exhibit. It remains central to the city's artistic life.
He died in Jerusalem.
Publications
- Jacob Pins Woodcuts. Exhibition catalog, Boston, Boston Public Library, 1953. Paperback, 15 pp with six black and white woodcuts.
- Master woodcuts by Jacob Pins. Oblong octavvo, staples paper covers, 12pp., b/w illustrations. Introduction by Ruth Eis. A short catalog of the exhibition, May 5-June 30, 1974, Judah L. Magnes Museum, Berkeley, California, 1974
- The Japanese Pillar Print, Hashira-e London Robert G Sawers Publlishing, 1982, 389 pages, 14 pages in color and 1039/XXV11 illustrations in black and white.
- The Pins Collection: Chinese and Japanese paintings and prints. Israel Museum, Israel, 1980
- The Jacob Pins Collection of Japanese Prints, Paintings and Sculptures. Israel Museum (Jerusalem) 1994 (ISBN 9652781614).
Personal life
Pins was married to Elsa, the subject of a number of his prints, They had no children.Legacy
His very extensive collection of Japanese woodprints, paintings and sculptures has been left to the Israel MuseumIsrael Museum
The Israel Museum, Jerusalem was founded in 1965 as Israel's national museum. It is situated on a hill in the Givat Ram neighborhood of Jerusalem, near the Bible Lands Museum, the Knesset, the Israeli Supreme Court, and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem....
, where it forms the Jacob Pins Collection.
Most of his own artwork was left to his home town, and the Forum Jacob Pins museum opened there in 2008.
Nimrod Erez made a feature length documentary about Pins, and this is in the permanent collection of MOMA
Moma
Moma may refer to:* Moma , an owlet moth genus* Moma Airport, a Russian public airport* Moma District, Nampula, Mozambique* Moma River, a right tributary of the Indigirka River* Google Moma, the Google corporate intranet...
, New York. A shorter documentary is on exhibition at the Jacob Pins Forum, Höxter.