The Second Maccabiah Game – An Iconic Zionist Image Extremely Rare Vintage Poster, Tel Aviv Israel 1935

$0.00

SOLD

The Second Maccabiah — An Iconic Zionist Image Extremely Rare Vintage Poster, Tel Aviv Israel 1935

THE JEWISH OLIMPIC SPORT GAMES An Iconic Poster from the British Mandate Period

Maccabiah · Zionism · Tel Aviv — Extremely Rare

A powerful and exceptionally rare poster of the Second Maccabiah, one of the formative events in the history of the Jewish Yishuv in Mandatory Palestine. Far more than an international sporting competition, the Maccabiah functioned in the 1930s as a central Zionist instrument—a public expression of modern Jewish national identity and, in many cases, a practical channel of immigration for Jews from Europe in the years immediately preceding the Holocaust. Athletes, coaches, and delegation members who arrived for the Games often chose to remain, settle, and become part of the emerging Hebrew society.

At the center of the poster stands a monumental Zionist athletic figure, sculptural and heroic in presence—an embodiment of the “New Jew”: strong, active, rooted, and self-confident. The dynamic posture, sharp angles, and bold contrasts convey movement, discipline, and determination. The figure looks not backward, but forward—toward a clearly defined national future.

In the background unfolds Tel Aviv during the British Mandate: a young, planned, and rapidly growing Hebrew city, rendered through geometric architectural forms. This is a distinctly Zionist urban vision—Tel Aviv as the heart of modern Jewish life, a city of construction, culture, and absorption. The integration of the cityscape with the Star of David creates a direct visual link between place, identity, and nationhood.

The poster was designed by Franz Kraus, one of the most prominent graphic designers active in Eretz Israel during the 1930s. Kraus brought with him a clear modernist visual language: dramatic compositions, heroic figures, powerful typography, and a restrained yet precise color palette. His unmistakable signature style is fully evident here—where propaganda, art, and advanced graphic design merge to transform a sporting event into a charged national image.

Printed in both Hebrew and English, the poster underscores the dual nature of the Maccabiah: a deeply Zionist local event and, at the same time, an international showcase presenting the Jewish Yishuv to the world.

This is an extremely rare work of outstanding historical, Zionist, and artistic significance—a singular visual document from a moment when sport, city, design, and national vision converged into one compelling image.

Technical Details

• Title: The Second Maccabiah – Tel Aviv

• Designer: Franz Kraus

• Year: 1935

• Place: Tel Aviv, Mandatory Palestine

• Technique: Linocut / Linoprint

• Languages: Hebrew and English

• Dimensions: 100 × 70 cm (39 × 27 inches)

• Signature: Signed in the plate “Kraus”

• Period: British Mandate, pre–World War II

• Condition: Original vintage poster

מכבייה, ציונות, תל אביב, כרזה וינטג׳, פרנץ קראוס, תקופת המנדט, פוסטר ציוני, אמנות עברית, לפני השואה, נדיר מאוד