Picture of the Day: The Rebbetzin, Retouched
With a mix of digital retouching and art, Chabad artist Bentzion Elisha created a beautiful portrait of Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka, wife of the Rebbe, which he has chosen to share with the community in honor of 22 Shvat, the Rebbetzin’s Yahrtzeit.
A word from the artist:
Every holy man has a holy woman behind him, and the Rebbetzin was the holy woman behind the Rebbe. This royal daughter, granddaughter, great-granddaughter, and wife of the Rebbe was described as “indescribable” even by her own husband, the Rebbe, who commented after her passing that only G‑d knows of her true greatness.
In her famous signature of modesty, we have only a few glimpses to her likeness. The most famous one is a cropped picture taken of her at a wedding reception. I felt this wrinkled old picture deserved a little more attention to highlight this great woman. This is a creative suggestion of how she might have looked in her youth, based on the original black-and-white image.
Lipstick
I don’t think she wore that much makeup as the picture would indicate.
I am horrified
Trying to make her look like a Hollywood icon is an embarrassment.
She would be appalled.
truth!
The Rebbe and Rebbitzin fought for unvarnished, unfaked truth. We have what we have of the Rebbitzin, these pictures are real. Your intention was certainly for good, but on reflection I think you will find that you have been unintentionally chutzpadik. One should never try to correct a King and Queen
huh ??
No one is correcting a king or queen especially in the sense of chutzpah like you say. The artist has taken a black and white pictures and added color to !make it even more beautiful then it was.
Is it appropriate
to retouch a photo of a rebbetzin and add color to our choosing
it is done very beautifully, but is it the proper thing to do for the Rebbetzin?
doubtful
i hightly doubt the Rebbetzin wore glossy red lipstick even in her youth. why retouch an authentic black and white?
CHT
Very honorable efforts. Hands off from artist.
CHT
#3 you are very uneducated. When was last time you saw painting of the King, Queen, Tzar and etc.
truth!
I am referring to a true Melech and Malka, from the line of Dovid HaMelech, not the practitioners of lies, falsehood, and opression, like the murderers and politicians you mentioned
Ummm
too fancy for our Rebetzin……pls restore…….
Good Intention
The artist meant nothing wrong, and no disrespect. On the contrary, he did it OUT OF RESPECT and admiration. Still, I think that some things should be off limits, even to artists. I think the same about songs of the Rebbeim that are messed around with.
N. Scherer
The artist is clueless about basic tznius! What the Rebbetzin did or didn’t do is irrelevant and not my (or anyone’s) business. But I don’t think the Rebbe or Rebbetzin would be happy with this picture. I don’t think you should publish it and I certainly hope this doesn’t become the new ‘portrayal’ (‘Bertrayal’) of the Rebbetzin.
awesome
Taking a beautiful picture and making it even more beautiful is extremely befiting to the woman she was. Kuddos to the artist!!!!
inapropriate
we dont need to retouch our leaders Baruch Hashem. they are perfect naturally.
chanie
that is not the point
Dallas
Absolutely gorgeous!
Beautiful. to #1:0
Yes, she did wear dark lipstick. I googled images of her and she definitely wore dark shades of lipstick. There is nothing wrong with looking beautiful and elegant and regal. Many special women in Torah are known for their beauty!!! We women should all dress and look respectful and beautiful and tznius.
Anonymous
What color images are you referring to???
Really Beautiful
What an amazing rendition! This work of art is truly beautiful and displays the Rebbetzin in a most royal manner. This kind of depiction reminds us that every bas Yisroel is a true queen… I would love this portrait in my house.
to #3 and others
So the pictures of our Rebbe walking down the road with his ancestors and chassidim is ossur? Or the paintings of the days of Moshiach? The Alter Rebbe?
truth!
the point is when we retouch photos, eventually the line between truth and falsehood is erased. Retouching is after all a false representation, the artist made the picture ‘better’, ie: better than what really was,ie: not the truth. Paintings are always in for criticism whether it’s the accuracy of the portrayal, the theme of the picture, etc. But photos are assumed to be real and if a picture is retouched (falsified) then this can be taken for the true image
Anonymous
First reaction: Doesnt fit. No, not a good idea.