STRUCK, Hermann (1876-1944)

Hermann Struck (1876-1944) was a German Jewish artist known for his etchings. Struck (Chaim Aaron ben David) was born in Berlin where he studied at the Berlin Academy of Fine Arts. In 1904, he joined the modern art movement known as the Berlin Secession. In 1900, Struck met Josef Israels, a Dutch artist, who became his mentor. Both were recognized as leading artists of their time. In 1908, Struck published \"Die Kunst des Radierens\" (\"The Art of Etching\"), which became a seminal work on the subject. His students included Marc Chagall, Lovis Corinth, Jacob Steinhardt, Lesser Ury and Max Lieberman. In 1899, upon completing his studies at the Berlin Academy, he was banned from teaching there because he was Jewish. He signed his work with his Hebrew name, Chaim Aaron ben David, and a Star of David. Struck did commissioned portraits of Ibsen, Nietzsche, Freud, Albert Einstein, Herzl, Oscar Wilde and other leading figures of the time. Struck was a fervent Zionist and Jewish activist. He visited the Land of Israel in 1903, displayed his art at the Fifth Zionist Congress, and was a founder of the Mizrachi Religious Zionist movement. At the same time, he was a German patriot and volunteered for military service in World War I, serving as a translator, liaison officer and military artist. Struck immigrated to Palestine in 1922, taught at Bezalel Academy and helped establish the Tel Aviv Museum of Art. He visited Berlin every summer until the Nazis rose to power.