Raphael Nouril- Classical Fine Artists
Judaica

Some originals are available for purchase. Please contact us.


Finally Home


This work was inspired by the artist's desire to make a personal contribution to the memory of the Holocaust. The ship ''Exodus'' is a symbol of suffering--the tumultuous journey across the Atlantic representing the vicissitudes and vulnerability of the Jewish people without a home. The foreground of the canvas is dominated by the moving reunion of the couple who had been separated in the concentration camps. Each believing the other had not survived, they are unable to make eye contact, hardly daring to face the reality before them. Although their eyes are averted from each other, they tentatively touch one another seeming to relive the agony of separation and the agony of reconciliation simultaneously. The men women and children pouring out of the ship have a dazed and dream-like expression. They seem to focus on something further away than their immediate surroundings, on a dream of a future of hope that will be always haunted by the nightmare of the past. The face of each immigrant was carefully chosen by the artist from among actual Holocaust survivors or their children, including the original captain of the Exodus ship. This painting was exhibited at Yeshiva University Museum, New York 1998 marking the State of Israel's 50th birthday.





Tallis Maker






Nachlaot






Priestly Blessing (Bircas Cohenim)






Hachneses Sefer Torah






Sukkos at Kotel


Raphael traveled to Jerusalem in 2003 especially to be at the Kotel during the festival of Sukkos. He was fascinated to see the Chassidim at the early morning prayers in front of such an ancient, holy wall. In Jerusalem, he made some color sketches and brought them back to London with him where he put them together for his painting. The same time the following year he went back to the Kotel and put his final touches on the painting.





The Cobbler






Havdalah with the Klausenberger Rebbe






Hagba


This painting is based on a scene that stayed in Raphael’s mind from the Tzemach Tzeddek synagogue in the Old City of Jerusalem. He always wanted to paint this scene because he loved being in synagogue on Shabbos morning every week and couldn’t help but look forward to the lifting of the Torah scroll.





Rejoicing Over Sefer Torah






Festive Neighborhood


One warm, sunny day during the festival of Sukkos in Jerusalem, the artist was sitting in an old, peaceful Chassidic courtyard. He enjoyed studying the scene of the sun shining over the communal balcony with colorful sukkot lined up. He wanted to capture the warm colors against the blue sky, a festival of colors within a festive neighborhood. He’ll never forget how the children in the courtyard became his art critics!





Contrast


In a narrow, backstreet of Jerusalem, under the shadow of old buildings, the artist was sitting behind his easel and painting the symbolism of the light at end of the road. In this painting he went a step further and has shown the contrast in three different aspects: contrast between light and dark, contrast between cold and warm colors, and the contrast in human age and strength between an elderly man making an effort to climb the steps to the synagogue and a little girl jumping rope with ease.





Jerusalem Street (Nachlaot)






Lighting Shabbat Candles


Raphael was inspired to see his family starting to light Shabbat candles. The calmness and prayer over the Friday night candles inspired the artist so much that he could only express his feelings through the creation of this painting. This painting is small but full of magnificent attention to detail. It has been painted by candle light with very fine brush strokes.





Tzemach Tzeddek Synagogue






Chassidic Gathering






The Young Audience


One afternoon Raphael visited the home of a friend who happened to be a cellist. The artist entered the home and noticed his friend rehearsing, and his children sitting around him, quietly mesmerized by their own father. He saw the children revering their father, one of the strongest values in a Jewish home. One sister even signalled to Raphael to “Shhh, please be quiet while father is rehearsing”. He said to himself, “Young Audience is my next painting.”





Flute of Redemption






Shofar and Siddur






Tallis and Tefillin




Continue to the Portraits Gallery >>

Continue to the General Gallery >>