Street of the Jews 16×20″ oil on linen panel

This oil painting was created au plein air – in the open air, on location, during my recent residence in Blois, France. The title is taken from the street’s name, “Rue des Juifs.” The Jewish presence in Blois dates from the end of the 10th century. The city is infamous for the first anti-Semitic ritual murder in 1171 when Isaac Ben Eleazar was accused of having drowned a child in the Loire River. Thirty-three Jews were imprisoned and assassinated following this false accusation. This corner came to be known as the “district of Jewishness.”

Now of course the vibe is a friendly, bustling French town, filled with charming street-scapes like this, dotted with grand castles and chateaus, rich in history. Cate and I stayed just up the street depicted in this painting, leading up towards the St Louis Cathedral, in an apartment likely lived in by Jews of the 15th century when it was built. There is something to dwelling in historically significant places of the world that is indescribable. I only hope my painting captures a piece of the awe we experienced in Blois.