Jacob Landau: The Prophetic Quest, An Exhibit of Selected Drawings and paintings by renowned American artist, humanist, and teacher Jacob Landau. The selected works on display were completed by the artist in preparation for his stained glass masterpiece, The Prophetic Quest, a series of ten monumental stained glass windows housed in the Keneseth Israel synagogue, just north of Philadelphia. In addition to the artwork, copies of the recently published book; The Prophetic Quest: The Stained Glass Windows of Jacob Landau, will also be on hand for review. Copies of the book are also available for sale at the University Bookstore.
Designed by the renowned American artist Jacob Landau, The Prophetic Quest encompasses ten masterful abstract pieces of stained glass that depict the lives and words of the biblical prophets, each towering nearly twenty-five feet high and spanning five feet across. Featuring essays recounting Landau’s vision, the history of his project, and detailed interpretative commentary on each window, this book presents an immersive experience of Landau’s religious masterwork. Personal reflections written by artists, art historians, poets, clergy, and congregants about their experience of The Prophetic Quest round out the volume with new ways to view and appreciate Landau’s creation.
Born in Philadelphia in 1917, Landau launched his career as an illustrator, winning national prizes at age 16, and a scholarship to the Philadelphia College of Art. He went on to have over sixty one-person shows, featuring a wide range of drawings and paintings. The recipient of numerous awards, including Guggenheim and National Arts Council grants, many of his works are featured in permanent collections, such as the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art in New York. A master teacher, he retired as professor emeritus at New York’s Pratt Institute. In 1996, he was awarded an honorary Doctorate in Fine Arts by Monmouth University.
The exhibition features a selection of some ten works. All are from Monmouth University’s extensive collection of Jacob Landau’s work, comprising over 300 prints, drawings and paintings. The collection was gifted to Monmouth University in 2008 by the Jacob Landau Institute of Roosevelt, NJ. This exhibit is co-sponsored by the Jewish Culture Studies Program and the Honors School of Monmouth University.
