Step softly into the hills of Jerusalem, as seen through the gentle pencil of Anna Ticho. Measuring only 25 by 20 cm, this drawing may be small in size—but it holds immense emotional weight. With each line, Ticho reveals not just a landscape, but a way of seeing. Her hills are calm. Still. Eternal.
A Life Rooted in the Land
Anna Ticho arrived in Jerusalem from Austria in 1912, alongside her husband, Dr. Avraham Albert Ticho. He would become one of the city’s most beloved eye doctors. She, over time, would become one of Israel’s most cherished artists.
Their home, now known as the Ticho House, sat near the edge of the Old City. It was here that Anna fell in love—with the land, the light, and the long, sloping hills. As her husband treated patients, Anna wandered the hills with sketchbooks in hand. She returned again and again, capturing the same vistas in different moods and seasons.
A Drawing of Emotion
In Jerusalem Hills, the eye glides across ridges and valleys drawn with light pencil strokes. No grand gestures. No sharp contrasts. Instead, Ticho offers nuance. Cross-hatched shadows suggest depth. Gentle curves follow the contours of ancient land. You can feel the silence. The breeze. The stillness of time itself.
What’s striking is what she leaves out—no people, no buildings. Just the land, breathing slowly. This is not just a drawing of hills.
The Ticho House: Where Art Met Life
Moreover, to understand this artwork, one must visit the Ticho House, which still stands as a museum in central Jerusalem. This home was more than a residence. One of the treasures of the Ticho House is its extraordinary collection of menorot (Jewish candelabras).
Inside, Anna drew and painted. Outside, Jerusalem’s landscape called to her endlessly. The house welcomed writers, musicians, artists, and thinkers. Even today, it continues to inspire visitors with its peaceful energy and artistic legacy.
A Lasting Influence
For collectors, this work represents not only a beautiful decorative piece but also a chance to own an original canvas by one of Israel’s most beloved modern artists.
Kings Gallery is a leading fine art gallery established in Jerusalem in 1995. Particularly, we strive to collect and sell the highest quality historic and contemporary Israeli and International art. The gallery specializes primarily in artists from the early period of the 1920’s. Besides, Kings Gallery features leading up-and-coming young artists who will definitely be prominent names in the next few years.
