My visit to Israel consisted so far of long daily visits to the Beilinson hospital in Petah-Tikvah. I would start and end my day at the hospital walking through a long corridor containing “The Museum of Art History”.
I walked down the corridor in amazement finding one famous masterpiece after another.
Clearly, they weren’t the original because how could they be, but at the same time, they were clearly paintings and not framed posters. What is going on with these pieces of art lining the corridors of an Israeli hospital?
There are so many more!
Like many things in this country, it was a bit of a surreal experience. I quickly found out the story behind this unusual gallery.
A very wealthy and somewhat infamous businessman, turned politician, turned radio talk-show host, wanted in France for fraudulent real estate deals. Sounds familiar? No, I am not talking about Trump.
Shmuel Flatto-Sharon, the multi-millionaire read a study suggesting that looking at art can speed up sick people’s recovery. He decided to donate his carefully collected collection of reproductions to the Beilinson hospital. These reproductions were commissioned by him, painted by famous contemporary artists, and authenticated by experts (I’ll be happy if someone can explain to me this last part that sounds like an oxymoron). I would love to know who those famous artists are, but I couldn’t find any information about it.
I will leave you with photos of one of the originals next to my photo of the reproduction. The colours in my photo are a bit off, but other than that, this is a pretty good likeness.
I’m not sure what I think about this museum. I did enjoy examining these paintings, and the patient recovered enough to be released from the hospital. Whether these helped in his recovery I am not sure, but he may be a bit more cultured now and Mona Lisa is still watching us from the corner of her eye.
If you want to read more about Flatto-Sharon, especially his two escapes dressed as a woman take a look here.
Interesting that he was also arrested for trying to burn down a building with art in it.
What a stunning collection.
He definitely had a colourful past 🤣
Wow. Obviously copyright laws don’t cover reproductions art masterpieces. I’m not sure how I feel about this either.
Glad the patient is feeling better though. With or without the help from knock-off paintings.
What an interesting story. It seems as though there may be more to gnus collectors story as well. Thanks
Yes, and a very interesting collection!
At least not when the art is this old I guess. I have to admit that I did enjoy many of these art pieces.
Hmmm. Does sound a bit Trumpy all around, doesn’t it? Thank you for sharing this discovery. I’m glad the patient is recovering 💜
Thank you!
Flatto-Sharon’s biography is wild. Escaped the country dressed as a woman? I can see the producers of Saturday Night Live licking their chops. It’s hard to know how to feel about sketchy-sounding people who may have contributed something positive to help people heal. I’ve read about similar-sounding stories of art being used for therapeutic reasons. Fascinating story, Margie.
Thanks, Pete! Twice! once as a kid escaping persecution and the second for prosecution 😊 I thought that there is a lot to think about in this story.
Copying the masters has always been a way of learning and the great painters who had apprentices also had them make copies of their works. As long as they don’t try to sell them as originals, there is nothing objectionable about it. It does make for an amazing gallery of paintings.
This is absolutely true! I had no objections about commissioning copies of masterpieces. The mixed feelings were more about the volume of masterpieces that were hung on the walls of this hospital, which was a bit overwhelming, which seemed to take away their uniqueness in a way. Perhaps there’s a little snob in me, but I could see them all hanging in his nouveau riche villa, and possibly donated for a large tax break. Or not. We’ll never know…I really did enjoy the time I spent examining these paintings!
Glad his recovery is going well. Yeah, that’s quite the art collection they have there…even if not originals. I’m also unsure how much these works would lend themselves to people getting well, but it certainly is better than bare walls or walls covered with medical information.
That is a very good point! There was something inspiring about the art covered walls! I forgot to mention about that there are several other exhibits in the hospital as well as a sculpture garden (some of the statues were donated by Flatto-Sharon as well)
so glad to hear that your brother is recovering well. The art pieces are interesting in that someone paid to have the reproductions painted. No telling what that cost, but if it’s true that it helps heal people, then it was money well spent.
Than you! I agree that nothing else really matters if it is a positive contribution!
Wow! Firstly how kind of him to donate such a collection! Secondly, what an interesting life he led. I can’t wait to read about it now 🥰 thanks for sharing!
Yes, I also thought it was very interesting!
That’s an interesting idea for a hospital! When my Mum was hospitalized last October, the views from her room were of the Canadian Rockies and a lake in front of the hospital. I think that helps a lot of patients, and I noticed the nurses seem to think so too. I remember when I was visiting my Mum and the nurses were discharging people before the Friday night rush, but Mum wasn’t leaving that day. The nurse pulled back Mum’s curtain and said, “I thought you might like to see the view before the room fills up.” When I showed pics of the views to my friends, they asked me if the hospital rents out rooms to tourists. I said no, but the weird thing is, it was Alberta, so they would actually make a lot more money renting rooms to tourists than being a hospital…. Kind of depressing. That’s so cool about Flatto-Sharon dressing as a woman to escape the Nazis! It would be hard to do it these days with digitization!
You just can’t beat the view of the rockies from your window! Very good point about digitization today. Stories such as these would not have happen!
Happy to hear that your brother has been released from the hospital. Who knows, maybe the art did help. What an interesting collection. I got a good laugh at how the reproductions were authenticated by experts. What does that even mean?!
Right? I don’t even know, but it is what it is and there is benefit in having art around regardless of it”s authenticity.
I love the story. What sort of information was on the plaque next to each painting. And I was very impressed with the very appropriate typo in your last sentence.
Haha, mI fixed loot to the appropriate look 😊 The information next to the paintings basically states the original artist and some information about the original painting, so I chose not to include those here. It was an interesting surprise in an unexpected place.
Why does every lovely post get spoiled by a cheap shot at a politician
I’m too sure, but thanks for commenting.
I have never heard of this place, it seems like a nice place. Thank you for following my blog!
And thank you too 😊
What an interesting idea and what an interesting man. Show you there is good and bad in bad people. Yes, I’d enjoy seeing copies which are well-done too.
Don’t understand why I can’t ‘like’ this post. I DO. Muriel
Thanks, Muriel! I’m not sure why you can’t like the post, but thanks for letting me know! And, yes, there is good and bad in all of us!
Even if they were not the original paintings, what a surprising thing to be able to find the world’s famous art all in one place! I would have been astounded – it’s so cool!!
They are originals in the sense that someone actually painted them, and yes, they were magnificent!
Great post! Was Flatto-Sharon turning a new leaf now that he’d been caught? The reproductions are certainly very close to the real thing and wonderful that there is an art gallery in the hospital. Glad too that your brother was released.
I don’t think he really turned a new leaf, but it looks like he was passionate about certain issues and donated to those issues, so kudos to him form that!