Rosenthal Unveils an Arty Menorah at the Jewish Museum of Rome and Vatican, News 108
Monday, December 25, 2017
Joel Arthur Rosenthal, popularly known as JAR is a Bronx-born hautejoaillerie designer who is venerated in the industry for her creative genius. Based out of Paris, JAR is famously reclusive for a person in the craft of decorative art. JAR, by principle, does not advertise his jewelries. He doesn’t wholesale his collections. Nor does he offer his wares to any buyer who has pockets deep enough to make the purchase. In fact, all his jewelries he sell only to clients he personally approves and for a static price that is open to no kind of negotiation. JAR is known to thoughtfully choose which of his baubles he wishes to sell, and when.
But notwithstanding his endless reservations, his jewelries are eyed by collectors and buyers from all over the world. The only two reasons that can be cited for that kind of popularity are his unparalleled creativity and incredibly awe-inspiring pieces.
The second week of May saw the unveiling of another of his rare pieces. Rosenthal, who is the only living designer to have conducted a solo show in the Metropolitan Museum of Art appeared at the Jewish Museum of Rome this year to attend the opening of a joint exhibition at the museum, which is a first time for him.
The collection, named Menorah: Worship, History, Legend is an assemblage of 130 items that have been imported from the first century. The show unveils one of his best wares which is the only piece in the entire collection that has been titled an original art.
His contribution, a breathtaking menorah that resembled a blooming branch of an almond tree is not meant to fall into the hands of the likes of Madonna, Lisa Airan and Lily Safra. It was taken in for the sole purpose of visitors to see it.
The menorah is a brilliant piece of work, bursting with pink blossoms that are enameled into the wire frame. At the center apex of the piece is a bud that is ablaze with pink rubies, gold and white diamonds and sapphires violet and blue.
Mr. Rosenthal’s decision to reveal the menorah in this exhibition was backed by the interest of adding something of value to the exhibition that has a theme as urgent as peace and unity. Known to be reticent from the world, Rosenthal lives a very private life. In an interview, he admitted that he does as much as possible to remain shrouded from all that’s going on around him.
This exhibition however was a calling for him. In a time like this, it is a necessity to address the problem and he made his contribution to the subject in his own personal style.
Mr. Rosenthal is not particularly religious, nor very connected with his Jewish faith. He totally stopped attending services soon after his own bar mitzvah. While conceiving the idea of this menorah, what kept coming to his mind was the almond cookies his grandmother used to cook. That explains the extraordinary concept of the ar tefact.
