'Arieh Merzer was born in the year 1905 in Warsaw, Poland, of Chassidic parents. He studied with Professor
Adam Rychtarsky and later worked with a group of Jewish artists who were interested in reviving the old oriental Jewish art of metal-hammering. This art originated in the early Biblical times with Bezalel and in later generations was applied to decorate synagogues (Torah Scrolls) and in Jewish houses Hanukkah lamps, Pass-
over etc.

In 1928 Merzer exhibited for the first time in Warsaw. From 1930 on he was in Paris and held a show in 1931 in the Galeries Bonaparte. Between the years 1930 and 1940 he took part in the exhibitions of the Salon Autumne, the Salon des Tuileries and others. He exhibited also during this time in various cities in France:
Lyons, Bordeaux, Nice, Strasbourg, Metz.

In 1943 during the Nazi occupation of rank, Merzer escaped from a concentration camp to Switzerland.
In 1945 he held a show in Geneva, and als published there an album of 25 drawings of Jewish folk-life.

Since the end of 1945 he is living in Israel. Held a one-man show at the Tel-Aviv Museum 1946, Haifa 1947,
The Artists' Pavillon Tel-Aviv 1951, at the Museum of modern Art, Haifa 1955,the Artists' House, Jerusalem 1955 and at the The Tel-Aviv Museum 1957.
Since 1948 he has been living in Safed. In 1949 Merzer organized there the first exhibition in the artists' quarter which, within a short time, developed into a serious centre'.

'These works, produced in Israel (between 1946 and 1960) are a result of

• childhood visions in the long winter nights fifty years ago, when we, Cheder-children, learnt the book of Genesis. The melody still rings in my ears of the reciting of the verse (Gen. 48:7) "For when I came from Padan"-
when Nabuzaradan will drive the Jews into exile, they will pass Rahel's Grave, Mother Rahel will rise from the grave, weep and paray, as it is written in the verse "A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children" (Jeremiah 31:15);

• from the carved and painted ornaments around the Holy Arc in the synagogues and chasidic prayer-houses,
when I used to go there with my father to pray;

• and from 15 tears living in Israel, and meeting again, face to face, the children of every Jewish tribe.
A.M'.
With signature of the autor, d.d. 23.III.66.

--------------------------------------
Very rare album.