Page 27 - Studio International - October1973

Government's decision to lift restrictions on Beat the Whites with the
Red Wedge 1919. Photo
national and religious groups allowed the
van den Bichelaer,
growing vitality of Jewish culture to flower at Geldrop, Holland
last. For his part, Lissitzky joined with Chagall
to help establish a group of Jewish artists
associated with the Jewish Section of the Soviet
Ministry of Education. He was also instrumental
in creating the 'Kultur Lige' in Kiev in 1918.
This was an organization with sections for
literature, music, theatre, painting, and
sculpture which published several important
Jewish works.19 Yet more significant than all
these activities was Lissitzky's decision to use
his art in service both to the Revolution and to
the Jewish cultural movement.
If the Revolution provided the social and
political framework in which Jewish art could
flourish, Jewish art in turn provided a unique
vehicle in which the ideals of the Revolution
could be visually expressed. While Lissitzky
became more aware in the late teens of the most
revolutionary trends in art (Suprematism, and effort on part of the Haggadah is not well known is the fact that this motif was used
Constructivism, and their 'cubo-futurist' surprising. One of Darmstadt's treasures was a by many Russian artists, both conservative and
sources), he recognized that Jewish art bore famous Pessach-Haggadah.23 'The Haggadah — avant-garde, to represent the impending victory
within it a number of strikingly modern the ritual for the domestic service on the Eve of of the Bolsheviks.29 What we are dealing with
features. As Aronson pointed out, Jewish folk Passover — was always a favourite subject for here, then, is a symbol ultimately derived from
art contained such avant-garde characteristics illumination because of its small bulk, its appeal the 'squares, triangles, curves, and arrows' of
as a fascination with the abstract, geometrical to women and children, its great popularity, and contemporary military maps,30 which were
nature of lettering; a recognition of the the very fact that it was not taken into the sufficiently well-known to reduce the need to
importance of voids; a high degree of fantasy; synagogue, where severer standards prevailed.'24 include many words in order to convey the
and 'its emphatic two-dimensionality.'20 The It was also 'the beloved work in which the art of meaning of the poster.
dilemma now facing Lissitzky was how to the Hebrew printed book reached its supreme But as I have said, the poster also contained
fashion a Jewish art which would embody some achievement.'25 But Lissitzky illustrated not the references to Lissitzky's Jewish past which
of the 'modernization' Aronson described and entire Haggadah, only Chad Gadyo. Doubtless guaranteed that the work would have a special
which would convey the basic principles of the the story had particular significance for him, and meaning for the Jews looking at it in 1919 and
Revolution. I believe that this significance arose from Chad 1920. The four succinct words on the poster
Chad Gadyo (A Goat Kid) demonstrates Gadyo' s relationship to the Revolution. For it is (kr asnim klinom bei byelikh) represented an
Lissitzky's solution to this problem. Abramsky in the 1919 version, when the Angel of Death is exhortation for revenge against the Whites. The
has already discussed the lithographs for Chad dead, that Lissitzky returns to the correct phrase 'Beat the Whites' immediately recalled
Gadyo published by Kultur Lige in 1919.21 It is depiction according to Jewish tradition. He had the vivid shout of the pogrom, Bei zhidov (Beat
especially revealing to compare this version of diverged from that tradition to show the angel the Jews). During the counter-revolution,
Chad Gadyo to a set of watercolour sketches still alive, much as the forces of counter- orthodox clergy under White control were told
completed two years earlier and to yet another revolution were still alive in 1917. to instruct their worshippers to 'bless
edition published in Warsaw in 1923. That Chad Gadyo was a Jewish paraphrase of yourselves, beat the Jews, overthrow the
Stylistically, the change from 1917 to 1919 the Revolution is still further suggested by the People's Commissars.'31 Lissitzky's poster
toward a crisper, sharper line, a more active Kulter Lige's publication of a thousand copies sought, therefore, to reinforce the Jews' support
surface play, and away from a concern with of an inexpensive edition in 1923. Only the of the Revolution by identifying the Whites
texture illustrates Lissitzky's growing rapport cover was printed with some red and blue with pogroms and persecution — just as the
with Malevich. But the meaning of Chad Gadyo touches; the rest of the booklet appeared in Whites equated the Jews with the Bolsheviks.
also changes in direct correspondence to the black and white. The result was a greater The importance of Beat the Whites with the
Revolution and the ensuing counter- confusion in the legibility of the illustrations, Red Wedge goes further. Although the Jews
revolutionary unheavals. If we compare the with a concurrent loss in the dramatic force of greeted the Revolution with enthusiasm, they
final episodes in the story, in And God Slays the the earlier lithographs. But as a response to the generally remained sceptical, if not antipathetic,
Angel of Death, we see that in 1917 the Angel of call from the Revolution for works of art readily to the Bolsheviks.32 Recognizing this dangerous
Death is in the act of dying; in 1919 he is dead. available to the masses, Chad Gadyo situation, the Bolsheviks soon undertook a
Chad Gadyo is a tale of retribution, of forces convincingly demonstrated its pro-revolutionary programme to firm up Jewish support for their
overpowering and vanquishing other forces, content.26 cause. In Lissitzky's native region around
with the ultimate power of God victorious in the If Chad Gadyo used Jewish customs to Vitebsk this programme was supervised by the
end over death and evil. The relevance of the promote the Revolution, Beat the Whites with Evkom, or Jewish Commissariat. Beat the
story in the light of the final victory of the the Red Wedge of 1919 used a modern Whites with the Red Wedge was intended as one
Bolsheviks over the Whites by 1919 is clear. vocabulary to look back to the Jewish past. In thrust in the Bolsheviks' campaign to rally the
In Chad Gadyo Lissitzky presented a parable of this famous poster Lissitzky took the motif of Jews to their side.
the final, complete victory of the Revolution. the assertive triangle breaking apart the The perfect, geometrical nature of the forms
And as Abramsky remarked, Lissitzky lethargic circle from a variety of sources. The in the poster promised that the changes to follow
completed the lithographs during 'the turbulent debt to Malevich27 and to Tatlin28 is obvious, the Bolsheviks' victory would affect not just
days of the civil war in Kiev in 1919'.22 Lissitzky thereby paying homage to the two Russia, but the entire world. This 'cosmic'
Lissitzky's willingness to spend so much time principal influences on his art at this time. Less quality became most apparent in Lissitzky's art

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