The Painter of Jerusalem

Stand for Israel | April 21, 2021

Panorama of Jerusalem by Israeli painter Ludwig Blum

Born in 1891 to a Jewish family in Moravia (part of the modern-day Czech Republic), Ludwig Blum attended the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague, then served in the First World War. But Zion called, and the Jewish painter and dedicated Zionist headed home to his Jewish homeland as part of the Third Aliyah in 1923.

Once in the Holy Land, Blum put his skills as a painter of its landscapes. He often focused on the Holy City of Jerusalem, including the Mount of Olives and the Western Wall. His 1933 painting entitled Jerusalem earned praise from the Royal Academy of Arts in London.

But Blum loved all of Israel, painting the Judaean Mountains, Tel Aviv, and the Sea of Galilee. Blum documented Israeli life, as well, including mining in the Timna Valley, Palmach soldiers in pre-state Israel, and farmers on kibbutzes.

Blum won many honors and awards throughout his career, including the Yakir Yerushalayim, an annual citizenship prize given by the city to residents who have made the Holy City a better place. Also known as “The Painter of Jerusalem,” the Holy City he loved, Ludwig Blum passed away at the age of 84. May his memory be a blessing.