Accession Number
1971/2.118

Title
Haman

Artist(s)
Leonard Baskin

Artist Nationality
American (North American)

Object Creation Date
1955

Medium & Support
ink and graphite on paper

Dimensions
22 in x 29 7/8 in (55.88 cm x 75.88 cm)

Credit Line
Gift of The Stephen and Sybil Stone Foundation

Subject matter
Baskin was best known for his sculptures that captured and conveyed unrefined human emotion. Baskin did not incorporate color into his work, according to him "Black and white is all I need." His father was a rabbi and it was not unusual for him to depict aspects of Jewish history in his art as here. Haman was a biblical figure from the Old Testament Book of Esther. He was angry when Mordecai, a Jew, did not bow to him and asked the king to kill all the Jews. Haman's plan was foiled by the king's wife Esther, who interceded on behalf of the Jews. Subsequently, Haman is hung in the same gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. The Jewish holiday, Purim, celebrates the positive turn of fate that results in the death of their persecuter Haman.
 

Physical Description
This abstracted drawing of a man's face shows a rounded but flattened surface, tilted back so that his nostrils are visible. The face droops, and has small beady eyes and dark closed lips.

Primary Object Classification
Drawing

Collection Area
Modern and Contemporary

Rights
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.

Keywords
Abstract (fine arts style)
Bible stories
Jewish holidays
Surrealism
abstraction
face
faces (animal components)
hangings (executions)
men (male humans)
modern and contemporary art