In the Butcher's Shop of Lazar Wolf 1957 - 1961

Editor: Here we have Anatoli Kaplan's "In the Butcher's Shop of Lazar Wolf," created between 1957 and 1961. It’s a print, an etching and graphite on paper. The stark contrasts really give it a dramatic, almost grim, feel. What symbols do you see at play here? Curator: It's interesting that you call it grim. Consider how cultural memory operates through images like these. Think about the symbolism inherent in the butcher shop itself - historically a place of sustenance but also, inevitably, death. Do you see how Kaplan uses these readily available, perhaps even subconscious associations, to evoke a particular response? The dog, for example, may represent loyalty, hunger, but also scavenging. It deepens our contemplation about mortality, isn’t it? Editor: I do now! So, it's less about simple sadness and more about the complicated reality of survival? The way the butcher is positioned too; he looks weary, almost burdened. Curator: Exactly! Notice how the lettering at the top, the Butcher's name, seems to press down on him? The symbols of his trade – the carcass, the tools – are almost looming over him. What might these symbols communicate about his identity? Is he defined solely by his profession, or is there more to Lazar Wolf than meets the eye? Editor: That makes me consider his internal state more than I did initially. The piece really seems to pose more questions than it answers. Curator: And isn't that the power of such symbolic representation? Kaplan taps into our collective understanding of these images and allows them to resonate in uniquely personal ways. So it is with images of people. I like how Kaplan presents an older Jewish person respectfully and thoughtfully. It runs counter to so many prior depictions. Editor: I learned a lot today! I will definitely think twice about these sorts of images now.