A Scribe Writing the Torah

The painting represents one of the few works with a Jewish theme which can be seen in the collection of the National Museum in Wrocław. The subject of the painting – dressed in a traditional satin coat (bekishe) and a wide-brimmed fur hat (shtreimel) – is shown writing down the text of the Torah lit by the candle. The scene is suffused with sadness and melancholy which are so characteristic of Gottlieb’s art.