Yiddish poem illustrated by Yosl Cutler, a master of the grotesque

A rare collaboration between two giants of Yiddish culture: poet Morris Abraham Katz (1898–1969) and illustrator Yosl Cutler (or Kotler, 1896–1935).

Katz, born in Mlyniv (now Ukraine) and later editor of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency for more than 40 years, was a prolific Yiddish poet whose work often reached beyond the visible world into allegory and mysticism. In this striking poem, humanity is “besieged by hunger,” and the struggle for survival points toward a visionary “plate from heaven.” Allegorical layers invite multiple interpretations, blending social critique with spiritual longing.

Cutler's illustrations bring this hidden symbolism to life. A satirist, poet, and "master of the stylized grotesque", Cutler could “stretch, shrink and contort a line into an endless kaleidoscope of forms” (Mazower). His drawings do not simply accompany Katz’s words; they shape how readers understand them, making this a rare synthesis of Yiddish literature and visual art.

A lovely work that unites Yiddish modernism, social commentary, and groundbreaking illustration.