Gottlieb, at a critical point in his young life, after his fiancée, Laura, left him for another man, was trying to get a perception of himself surrounded by people from his past and present. Gottlieb himself is standing in the center, wearing what seems to be Joseph’s multicolored garment. If so, then on Gottlieb’s left he placed the Patriarchs. Abraham on the very left seems the oldest. Introverted Isaac, secluded in his prayerbook. Jacob, the one who struggles with God, is the only one in the painting who dares to look upwards. (More likely he’s watching the Knicks game on the big screen TV, which was installed on Rosh Hashanah). Next on line is Joseph-Gottlieb, and Moses in the very center is holding the Torah. Makes so much sense.
On the left, Gottlieb as a young boy. We know it’s him because he’s wearing on his necklace the same initials, M.G, that the older Gottlieb is wearing. On the right, Gottlieb as a young lad, sitting with his father. We can assume it’s Yom Kippur because of the little Shofar laid on the bench at the lower left corner of the painting, as well as the faces gazing downwards with dual eyes, muted by fasting. The two candles, the Gezunte Licht, for the spirits of the desist, are flickering at the left, shedding warm light on an old woman who is fully absorbed in her prayerbook (A closer look, however, indicates that she’s actually reading a 19th-century novel called: Fifty Shades Oy Vey).
But I think the most fascinating demonstration, is Gottlieb’s depiction of his deceitful fiancé, Laura. Gottlieb painted her twice. It is Gottlieb’s genius way to communicate to us that she is two-faced. And the eyes of God, beaming on the top through the stained glass windows, are directed right on the two Lauras. One eye, the eye of judgment, is gazing at Laura, reprimanding her, as she appears at the right, whispering in her mother’s ear (who is staring directly at Gottlieb), as a sign of her deceitfulness. Right below the two, there is a quote from the book of Numbers: “Rise up oh God, may Your enemies be scattered, let them flee before You.” The other eyes of God, the eye of forgiveness, is directed at Laura as she’s standing on the left, a prayer book in her hand and a vail on her face as a sign of remorse, while her left hand is glowing with light. The hand that carried Gottlieb’s engagement ring.
This painting was such an inspiration for 600 Chariots, and especially the song Hashkivenu. Gottlieb’s immense pride in his Judaism is portrayed in this song by this Shtetl music at the beginning of each refrain. But it clashes with classical music reference that follows. Because all Gottlieb ever wanted is to belong, to be acknowledged by the non-Jewish society, and how touching is his struggle to obtain those two worlds.
My Logic Pro X Composing Corner
