Arthur Szyk

Ink and Blood, 1944. —USHMM #94613/Gift of Alexandra and Joseph Braciejowski

• Introduction »
• Original Works »
• Biblical or Religious Works Illustrated »
• Secular Works Illustrated »
• Exhibitions, Catalogs, and Collections »
• Commentary and Criticism »
• Other World War II Political Cartoons and Caricatures »
• Museum Web Resources »
• Additional Resources »

Introduction ↑

Polish-born Jewish artist Arthur Szyk was known for his richly detailed book illustrations and illuminations on Jewish themes. Deeply devoted to Judaism, to Poland, and to the United States, he created works that glorified their histories and their ideals, as well as the larger issues of democracy, civil liberties, and human rights. During World War II, he raised his pen against Nazi tyranny, calling the world’s attention to the mass murder of Europe’s Jews. American newspapers and magazine covers featured his wartime cartoons and caricatures, and the New York and London exhibits of his work solidified his position as one of the leading political caricaturists of the period.

The following bibliography was compiled in conjunction with the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum’s Special Exhibition on Arthur Szyk to document the range of his artistic work, from the religious to the secular and the political, and to guide the reader to books by and about Szyk and other political cartoonists. Because so many of Szyk’s works were published in limited editions, copies of his works can be difficult to locate. For those books in the Museum’s Library, call numbers have been provided. Those interested in finding these or other works on Szyk might be able to locate them in a nearby public or academic library, or acquire them through interlibrary loan. Talk to your local librarian for assistance.

Original Works ↑

• Adam Czerniakow, Burgomaster of the Warsaw Ghetto. [New York?]: American Federation for Polish Jews, 1943.
  
  
• Ink & Blood, A Book of Drawings. New York: The Heritage Press, 1946. (Rare NC 1670 .S9 B8 1946)
  
  
• The New Order. New York: J.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1941. (Rare NC 1670 .S9 1941)
  
  
• Simon Bolivar and His Time. Washington: Pan American Union, April 11 to May 12, 1952.
  
  
• Statut de Kalisz. Munich: F. Bruckman, 1932.
  
  
• Twenty Pictures from the Glorious Days of the Polish-American Fraternity. Krakow: Drukarnia Narodowa, 1939.
  
  
• United Nations Series. New York: Arthur Jaffe, 1946-1949.
  
  
• Washington and His Times. New York: B. Westermann, 1932.
  
  

Biblical or Religious Works Illustrated ↑

• The Book of Esther. Israel: Maariv Book Guild & American-Israel Publishing Company, 1974.
  
  
• The Book of Job. New York: The Limited Editions Club, 1946.
  
  
• The Book of Ruth. New York: The Limited Editions Club, 1947.
  
  
• Bromberg-Bytkowski, Zygmunt. Piesn Nad Piesniami. Lodz: M. Szajniak, 1924.
  
  
• Cohen, Mortimer J. Pathways Through the Bible. Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society of America, 1946.
  
  
• Flaubert, Gustave. La Tentation de Saint Antoine. Paris: Societe D’Editions et de Librairie Henri Reynaud, 1926.
  
  
• The Haggadah. London: Beaconsfield Press, 1940.
  
  
• The Holiday Series: Six Paintings of Jewish Holidays. New York: Arthur Rothmann Fine Arts, 1948.
  
  
• Le Livre D’Esther. Paris: L’Edition D’art H. Piazza, 1925.
  
  
• Miron-Michrovsky, Issachar. Eighteen Gates of Jewish Holidays and Festivals. Northvale, N.J.: Jason Aronson, 1993.
  
  
• The Ten Commandments. Philadelphia: The John C. Winston Company, 1947.
  
  

Secular Works Illustrated ↑

• Andersen, Hans Christian. Andersen’s Fairy Tales. New York: Grosset & Dunlap, 1945.
  
  
• The Arabian Nights Entertainments. Ipswich, England: The Limited Editions Club, 1954.
  
  
• Artzybasheff, Boris, and George Brown. Columbia Marches On, 1934-1935. New York: Columbia Pictures, 1934.
  
  
• Benoit, Pierre. Le Puits de Jacob. Paris: Albin Michel, 1927.
  
  
• Binshtok, V.L., and Curnonsky. Le Juif Qui Rit. Paris: Albin Michel, 1926.
  
  
• Broderson, Moshe. Al’dos Guts. Maysalekh far Kinder. Warsaw: Kultur-Lige, 1922.
  
  
• Chaucer, Geoffrey. The Canturbury Tales. New York: The Limited Editions Club, 1946.
  
  
• Jabotinsky, Vladimir. Stikhi, Perevody-Plagiaty-Svoye. Razskazy. Causeries, Pravda Ob Ostrov Tristan Da Runya. Paris: Voltaire, 1930.
  
  
• Lewisohn, Ludwig. The Last Days of Shylock. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1931.
  
  
• Lilien, Ephraim Mose. Yon Toyvim: Mayses un Dertseylungern. Buenos Ayres: Komitet tsu koordinirn dem Yidish veltlekhn shulvezn in Argentine, 1948.
  
  
• Lissitzky, El. Hob Ich Mir a Liedele. Warsaw: Kulture-Lige, 1922.
  
  
• Londynski, Stanislav. Lider fun Yidishe Zelner. Paris: Piesni o Zolnierzu Zydowskim, 1931.
  
  
• Mallet, Marc-George. La Ronde des Deesses. Paris: La Fleur de France, 1925.
  
  
• Omar Khayyam. Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. New York: The Heritage Press, 1940.
  
  
• Saroyan, William. Razzle Dazzle. New York: Harcourt, Brace and Company, 1942.
  
  
• Trunk, J.J. Fun der Natur. Tseichenungen un Paisazhen. Warsaw: A. Gitlin, 1914.
  
  
• Tuwim, Juljan. Rewolucja w Niemczech. Lodz-Warsaw: Ksiazka I Sztuka, 1919.
  
  

Exhibitions, Catalogs, and Collections ↑

• Arthur Szyk, Enlumineur, Expose son Oeuvre du 12 au 23 Décembre 1928. [Paris: Imp. L. Beresniak], 1928.
  
  
• Arthur Szyk, Illuminator, 1894-1951: A Selection of His Works, November 1974-February 1975, Yeshiva University Museum. New York: The Museum, 1974.
  
  
• Arthur Szyk Scrapbook. New York: New York Public Library, 1996.
  
  
• Exhibition of Illuminated Manuscripts and Water Colours. [London: International Art Galleries, Ltd., 1933].
  
  
• Exhibition of Original Miniature Paintings. New York: M. Knoedler & Co., 1946.
  
  
• Exposition Arthur Szyk. Galeries A. Decour ... du 19 Maj au 5 Juin 1925. [Paris: Imp. L. Beresniak, 1925].
  
  
• Luckert, Steven. The Art and Politics of Arthur Szyk. Washington, D.C.: United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, 2002. (Oversize ND 3039 .S98 A4 2002)
  
  
• Original Illuminations, Illustrations, Cartoons, by Arthur Szyk, 1894-1951, Sold by Order of Mrs. Arthur Szyk, Oriental Art ... Belong to Edgar Gutman .. and Other Owners, Public Auction, Tuesday, May 11.... New York: Parke-Bernet Galleries, 1965.
  
  
• Original Book Illustrations and Cartoons by the Late Arthur Szyk, 1894-1951: Public Auction...November 27, 1963. New York: Parke-Bernet Galleries, 1963.
  
  
• Original Book Illustrations in Color ... by the Late Arthur Szyk: Sold by Order of Mrs. Arthur Szyk, New York, Public Auction Sale, Early Thursday Afternoon, March 26. New York: Parke-Bernet Galleries, 1959.
  
  
• Rare First Editions, Press Publications, Colored Plate and Other Books [from] the Library of Roy Norr. New York: Parke-Bernet Galleries, 1956.
  
  
• Szapiro, Elie. Judaïca: Archives Furtado jeune livres et documents à divers amateurs manuscrits hébraïques et français: tableaux, dessins, gravures. Arthur Szyk: Projet complet d’un livre apparemment inédit avec 29 dessins originaux signés, objets de culte et objets d’art. [Paris]: Hôtel Drouot, 1999.
  
  
• Ungar, Irvin. Justice Illuminated: The Art of Arthur Szyk. Burlingame, CA: Historicana, 1999. (ND 3039 .S98 A4 1999)
  
  
• War Caricatures & Illuminations by Arthur Szyk, May 22-June 7, 1941. [New York]: M. Knoedler & Co., 1941.
  
  

Commentary and Criticism ↑

• Ansell, Joseph P. “Art Against Prejudice: Arthur Szyk’s Statute of Kalisz.” The Journal of Decorative and Propaganda Arts 14 (Autumn 1989): 46-63. (Subject File)
  
  
• Ansell, Joseph P. Arthur Szyk: Artist, Jew, Pole. Portland, OR: Littman Library of Jewish Civilization, 2004. (N 7255 .P63 S98733 2004)
  
  
• Ansell, Joseph P. “Arthur Szyk’s Depiction of the ‘New Jew’: Art as a Weapon in the Campaign for an American Response to the Holocaust.” American Jewish History 89, no. 1 (March 2001): 123-34. (Subject File)
  
  
• Ansell, Joseph. P. “Drawing from Memory.” Hadassah 75, no. 3 (November 1993): 46-50. (Subject File)
  
  
• “Arthur Szyk Dies; Noted Artist, 57.” New York Times, September 14, 1951, p. 25. (Subject File)
  
  
• “Cartoons by Arthur Szyk Are Like Weapons of War.” New York Times Book Review, July 20, 1941, p. 9. (Subject File)
  
  
• Duke, Sara W., and Holly Huston Krueger. “The Art of Arthur Szyk: ‘Artist for Freedom’ Featured in Library Exhibition at LC.” Library of Congress Information Bulletin 59, no. 1 (January 2000): 10-13. (Subject File)
  
  
• Jegier-Filipiak, Beata. “Artur Szyk (1894-1951).” Biuletyn Zydowskiego Instytutu Historycznego w Polsce 1989 (3): 65-80. (DS 135 .P6 Z9 1989 v.3)
  
  
• Jewell, Edward Alden. “Arthur Szyk Art Exhibited Today.” New York Times, May 22, 1941, p. 19. (Subject File)
  
  
• “Polish Art at Capital: Work of Arthur Szyk Satirizes Axis, Praises Four Freedoms.” New York Times, April 22, 1943, p. 30. (Subject File)
  
  
• Portnoy, Edward. “Exploiting Tradition: Religious Iconography in Cartoons of the Polish Yiddish Press.” Polin: Studies in Polish Jewry 16 (2003): 243-267. (DS 135 .P6 P56 v. 16)
  
  
• Schreiber, Morris. “One Man Army.” The American Hebrew, September 11, 1942. (Subject File)
  
  
• Shnayderman, Sh. L. Artur Shik: dos shturmishe lebn un shafn fun dem groysn Yidshn minyatur-mayster. Tel-Aviv: Farlag Y.L. Perets, 1980.
  
  
• Sommese, Lanny, and Joe Ansell. “Arthur Szyk.” Novum Gebrauchsgraphik 60 (July 1989): 16-21. (Subject File)
  
  
• Szukalak, Marek. Łódzkie rysunki Artura Szyka. Łódź: Oficyna Bibliofilów, 1997. (NC 1670 .S9 S98 1997)
  
  
• Wallenstein, Andrew. “Uncomfortable Images.” Moment 23, no. 5 (October 1998): 35.
  
  

Other World War II Political Cartoons and Caricatures ↑

• Douglas, Roy. The World War 1939-1945: The Cartoonists’ Vision. London: Routledge, 1991. (NC 1763 .W25 D68 1991)
  
  
• Doyle, Jerry Aloysius. According to Doyle: A Cartoon History of World War II. New York: Putnam’s Sons, 1943. (NC 1763 .W25 D69 1943)
  
  
• Hanfstaengl, Ernst. Hitler in der Karikatur der Welt: Tat gegen Tinte: ein Bildsammelwerk. Berlin: Braune Bücher, 1933-1934. (NC 1763 .H5 H56 1933-1934)
  
  
• Hitler in der Karikatur der Welt, 1924-1934 : mit Kommentaren aus dem Dritten Reich. Darmstadt: Melzer, [1973]. (NC 1763 .H5 H57 1973)
  
  
• Keen, Sam. Faces of the Enemy: Reflections of the Hostile Imagination. San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1986. (NC 1763 .E45 K44 1986)
  
  
• Knospe, Hannelore. Politische Grafik contra Nazibrandstifter: Reichstagsbrandstiftung und Reichstagsbrandprozess im Spiegel antifaschistischer Pressegrafik, 1933-1934. Leipzig: Georgi-Dimitroff-Museum, [1988]. (NC 1763 .G3 K66 1988)
  
  
• Low, David. Years of Wrath: A Cartoon History: 1931-1945. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1946. (NC 1763 .W25 L78 1946)
  
  
• Minear, Richard H. Dr. Seuss Goes to War: The World War II Editorial Cartoons of Theodor Seuss Geisel. New York: New Press, 1999. (D 745.2 .M56 1999)
  
  
• Zeman, Zbynek A. B. Heckling Hitler: Caricatures of the Third Reich. Hanover, NH: University Press of New England, 1987. (NC 1763 .G3 Z45 1987)
  
  

Museum Web Resources ↑

• The Arthur Szyk Society
  Highlights the work of artist and illustrator Arthur Szyk, whose anti-Nazi cartoons and caricatures created during World War II drew attention to the fate of European Jews under Nazi occupation. Provides background information about the artist, descriptions of exhibitions, and listings of Society programs and publications.
  
  
• Arthur Szyk: Artist for Freedom
  An online exhibition of 17 artworks by Szyk displayed in the Library of Congress’ Swann Gallery of Caricature and Cartoon.
  
  
• Exhibitions: The Art and Politics of Arthur Szyk
  Presents an online version of the special exhibition concerning this artist and political activist.
  
  
• Holocaust Encyclopedia: The Art and Politics of Arthur Szyk
  Online encyclopedia entry on the life or Arthur Szyk. Includes images of his artwork.
  
  
• Web Links: The Arts and the Holocaust
  Provides links to various websites that contain information on art and artists during the Holocaust and on representations of the Holocaust in different forms of postwar art.
  
  

Additional Resources ↑

• Subject Files
  Ask at the reference desk to see the subject files labeled “Szyk, Arthur, 1894-1951” and “Political cartoons” containing newspaper and periodical articles.
  
  
• Subject Headings
  To search library catalogs or other electronic search tools for materials on Arthur Szyk, use the following Library of Congress subject headings to retrieve the most relevant citations:
  
  • Szyk, Arthur, 1894-1951
  • Jewish artists--Poland--Biography
  • Arthur Szyk Society
  
  

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