(posted originally on 11/22/2011)
Ephraim Moshe Lilien (1874-1925) was a Viennese artist and the 'official' illustrator of the Zionist Movement. Below is a postcard he produced in 1910. According to this website Lilien visited Palestine in the 1890's and took many photographs of the people and landscape. He used these to produce work back in Europe. (You can see other works by clicking here).
The one Jody showed yesterday (above) was produced for the 5th Zionist Congress, which took place in Basel, Switzerland in 1901. The Hebrew inscription at the bottom is the prayer “May our eyes behold your return in mercy to Zion.”
And here is Lilien's beautiful, 1908 "Abraham":
The Lord said to Abram, "Go Yourself from your land, your birthland, and from your father's house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you. I will make your name great, and you shall be a blessing. I will bless you and curse him that curses you; And all the families of the earth shall bless themselves by you." Abram went forth as the Lord had commanded him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. Chapter 12. Verses 1-4
Just for fun click HERE to access wikipedia's page about Lilien