My Family

Created in 1949, just one year after Israel's independence, 'My Family' captures Reuven Rubin at a pivotal moment both personally and nationally. The Romanian-born artist had recently returned from serving as Israel's first diplomatic envoy to Romania (1948-1950), and this work reflects his deep engagement with themes of Jewish identity, homeland, and belonging that defined his career. Rubin was a founder of the modern Eretz-Yisrael style in the 1920s, known for his sun-bathed, Cézannesque landscapes and depictions of the diverse inhabitants of the new nation—Yemenite Jews, Hasidic communities, and Arab neighbors. His work combined modernist European influences with a naive, almost folkloric sensibility, creating what he called a visual language for the young nation. Family scenes were central to Rubin's integrative vision of Israeli society. By 1949, he was an established figure who had exhibited internationally and designed sets for major Hebrew theaters. His autobiography describes his journey from a poor Hasidic family in Galați, Romania—where his artistic talent emerged at age three in religious school—to becoming a defining voice in Israeli art. This painting likely reflects both his personal family life with his wife Esther, whom he met in 1928, and his broader vision of the newly formed Israeli family of nations.