Old Cart (1939)

14x12 watercolor 

Wooden carts have a long history in Israel. According to a Bible story, the Philistines used Ox Carts for the Ark of the Covenant in the land of Philistia. Carts carried women and children and were drawn by oxen. They were square and made of wood and woven materials. The wheels were made of wood. Upon the return of the Ark of the Covenant (1 Samuel 6:6), the Golden Ark was placed on a wooden cart and sent back to Israel.

The cart in this painting was outside our home in Haifa. A Bedouin friend of our family would often visit, deliver fresh produce to my grandparents and nearby neighbors, and spend the night in our home. He visited 1-2 times a week.

Carts were mainly used for agriculture in Palestine. They were treated like good pieces of furniture and highly valued. My father was 15 years old when he painted this picture.