Art Collection

Schocken was an eclectic art collector, with a keen eye for quality. Rather than focusing on particular art forms or styles, he was captivated by sheer beauty and human expression. His art collection included works by old masters, like Rembrandt and Dürer, impressionists, such as Cézanne, Gauguin, Manet, Pissarro, Renoir, Liebermann, and Van Gogh, and modernists like Kokoschka and Kandinsky.

Schocken was particularly attracted to contemporary German expressionists, the most daring and avant garde artists of his time. His collection included paintings by Nolde, Mueller, Grosz, Munch, Pechstein, Dix, Kollwitz, Macke, and Jawlensky, as well as sculptures by Barlach, Lehmbruck, and others.

In addition to European works, Schocken collected exotic, eastern, and primitive art. He bought a large collection of traditional Yemenite clothing, jewelry and artifacts, and loaned it to the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. He also collected rare Chinese pottery, pre-Columbian figurines, and owned one of the world’s most important collections of ancient coins.

Van Gogh, Cypress. Was hanging in the living room of Villa Schocken in Jerusalem
Woman's Dress Doll Sana'a, Yemen 1930s Carl Rathjens Collection, on permanent loan to The Israel Museum from Salman Schocken, Tel Aviv Bracelet, Yemen Sabbath stone pot ("madhaleh") Headdress for a Woman Sana'a, Yemen Early 20th century Carl Rathjens Collection, on permanent loan to The Israel Museum from Salman Schocken, Tel Aviv Woman's Dress Lulwi Sana'a, Yemen, First half of the 20th century (?) Carl Rathjens Collection, on permanent loan to The Israel Museum from Salman Schocken, Tel Aviv Tawq-u-khoratah amulet Woman's Dress Lulwi Sana'a, Yemen, First half of the 20th century (?) Carl Rathjens Collection, on permanent loan to The Israel Museum from Salman Schocken, Tel Aviv Stone Hanukkah lamp with additional cavity for used wicks Emil Nolde Mordechai Ardon Mordechai-Ardon Eucalyptus Trees Entrance to Mishmar Haemek Max Libermann Pierre Auguste Renoir Vincent Van Gogh Aux Alentours de Paris 1887 Kathe Kollwitz Tod Einer Mutter das Kind Entreissend