Early 20th Century Bohemian Terracotta Figure Group of Three Jews

Painted earthenware figure group of three Jews in overcoats and skullcaps, sitting close together on a bench. Their detailed faces have stereotypical Jewish features, such as sidelocks and large, protruding noses, circa 1900, Bohemia. Unlike portrayals of “three older Jewish men on a bench”, this scene depicts a young boy in the middle of two older men. It appears the young boy is being reprimanded for some infraction he has committed, as his eyes are facing downward and he looks sullen, listening to what the man to his right is telling him about what he did wrong. There are no anti-semitic tones to this sculpture; on the contrary, it appears that it is quite sensitive in nature. We cannot locate any comparable models to this example, including in museum collections, making this sculpture rare example.