Shalom Moscovitz

Shalom Moskovitz (also spelled Sholem Moscovitz, ;) c. 1887 – 1980) was a Hasidic Jewish painter in Safed, Israel. Moskovitz, known as artist Shalom of Safed, labored as a watchmaker for most of his life before first beginning to paint at the age 55.

Biography Shalom Moskovitz was born in Safed, c 1887. He was Hasidic and influenced by mystical tradition of the Cabbala that like Moskovitz also had its home in Safed.

He earned a living as a watchmaker and was commonly referred to by that name, "Zeigermacher", in Yiddish. During the 1948 Palestine war his workshop was destroyed. This forced him to try to try earning a living from making toys from plywood. Thus began, Shalom Moskovitz second career as an artist.

While Moskovitz's profession shifted to painting, his surrounding remained constant. He continued to live and paint in the city of Safed until his death there in 1980.

Artistic career Moskovitz was a naïve artist. He painted in the primitive style, expressing biblical themes. He also designed stained-glass windows and was an accomplished practitioner of microcalligraphy.

His art has been featured at the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam and the Kunsthaus Zürich. An exhibition of his work was held at the Jewish Museum of New York in 1980.

Moskovitz was featured in the 1988 film "Shalom of Safed – The Innocent Eye of a Man of Galilee" co-written by Daniel Doron.