My Name Is Asher Lev, Book Three

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

 The Rebbe decides that Asher is to take French in high school.  Asher does not want to take the French classes.  Jacob Kahn's show opened the following Sunday and Asher was captivated by the work.  One of the sculptures in the show was of Asher's head.  His aunt and uncle redesign the attic for Asher so he has a larger space to work on his art. (HG)

Chapter 12

Asher returns home and finds that his parents are getting along just fine without him. He also realizes his father has changed his opinion of Asher's art from abhorence to indifference, and that his father plans to see an art show, as long as the art is decent on his terms. Jacob Kahn becomes distant, jealous of the criticism that Asher received from his previous art show. After much debate, Asher decides to spend his summer in Florence, with full support from his father. (SG)

Chapter 13

 In Florence, Asher appreciates the Pieta by Michelangelo and draws it many times.  A Ladover man finds him and asks him to deliver something to Rome, and Asher goes. While there, he visits the yeshiva his father helped to build. Then he goes to Paris. His mythic ancestor appears in a dream again. He visits with Avraham Cutler and goes to another yeshiva his father helped build, and also stops to see Picasso's studio on the way. Asher decides to stay in Paris, and he rents an apartment there and turns a room into a studio. Reflecting on home, he begins to think of the pain his mother went through. He does a painting of her as a crucifixion, but believes it is incomplete, so he paints another more direct version. He thought of destroying the paintings afterwards, but didn't. Anna Schaeffer came and took some paintings for a show, including the crucifixions. After she left, Asher cried. He didn't go back to New York until five days before the show. [SM]

Le Bateau Lavoir

Chapter 14

 Asher returns home because he is to have an art show. He speaks to many of his childhood aquaintances, including Yudel Krinsky and Rav Dorochoff. He is asked about his art show nonstop, but does not mention the crucifixion pieces. Asher's mother senses something, but never actually finds out. Interestinly enough, Asher and his father on on the best terms they have been in a very long time.The Sunday that his show opens, Asher's parents atternd the show, and see the crucifixion paintings. His parents are deeply hurt and leave the show. He is shunned by his family and others in his community, and the Rebbe eventually askes him to leave, so he leaves, telling his parents he may go to Paris or Russia. (D.W.)

The Founatin by Duchamp-- http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fountain_%28Duchamp%29&oldid=203364498

Olympia-- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympia_%28painting%29

Le Dejeuner sur l'Herbe-- http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Luncheon_on_the_Grass&oldid=200390482

David-- http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=David_%28Michelangelo%29&oldid=204112648