Untitled (Face) c. 1938

This is an untitled print of a face by Samuel Himmelfarb, who was born in 1904. The image features strong contrast, starkly rendered in black and white. Himmelfarb lived through the tumult of the 20th century, experiencing the rise of modernity, urbanization, and the cataclysm of two World Wars. The Expressionist style, with its roots in early 20th-century Germany, reflects a profound engagement with emotional intensity and societal critique. The bold lines and abstracted forms invite us into a world of inner turmoil and alienation. It is impossible to view this image without acknowledging the broader context of Jewish identity in the diaspora. The face appears anguished, perhaps reflective of Himmelfarb’s own experience as a Jew in a world marked by displacement and persecution. There is an inescapable sense of the profound, resonating with themes of trauma, memory, and the struggle to find meaning amidst chaos.