Circa 1960s Tony Mafia Jewish Etching Artist Proof Signed Judaica Art Framed

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Circa 1960s Vintage Jewish-Themed Etching by Tony Mafia — Signed Artist Proof

Offered is a beautiful and unusual Jewish-themed etching … Read more Circa 1960s Vintage Jewish-Themed Etching by Tony Mafia — Signed Artist Proof

Offered is a beautiful and unusual Jewish-themed etching by Tony Mafia, hand-signed by the artist and inscribed “Artist Proof.” The expressive composition depicts a Jewish family scene, featuring a bearded man, a woman, and a child, rendered with intricate cross-hatching and expressive line work.

The work has a particularly interesting connection to Tony Mafia’s time in Antwerp, Belgium. Archival material about the artist documents a group of etchings depicting Antwerp Jews, believed to have been created around 1969, when Mafia lived in Antwerp’s Jewish quarter.

About the Artist — Tony Mafia (1931–1999)

Tony Mafia, born Robert Lee Alderson in Chicago in 1931, was an American painter, sculptor, illustrator, musician, and cultural figure whose unconventional career took him across the United States and Europe. He was of Cherokee heritage and developed remarkable artistic abilities at an early age. According to biographical accounts, he received an opportunity to study drawing at the Art Institute of Chicago as a child.

During the 1960s, Mafia became part of the vibrant Los Angeles counterculture and music scene, while continuing to develop his career as a visual artist. His paintings and sculptures were exhibited in the United States and Europe, and his artistic style incorporated figurative, expressionist, symbolic, and surreal elements.

Mafia lived and worked in places including Los Angeles, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Mexico. His work was exhibited at galleries in Paris, Denmark, Belgium, Amsterdam, Las Vegas, and elsewhere. He also created murals and maintained connections with numerous prominent figures from the arts and entertainment world.

His Antwerp period is especially relevant to this particular work. According to archival material devoted to the artist, Mafia lived in Antwerp’s Jewish quarter in 1969 and produced a series of etchings inspired by the people and surroundings he encountered there.

Tony Mafia died in 1999. His artistic legacy continues to be documented through archival collections, exhibitions, auction records, and the preservation of his paintings, drawings, etchings, writings, and correspondence.

Artwork Details

Artist: Tony Mafia (1931–1999)
Subject: Jewish / Judaica theme
Medium: Etching on paper
Edition: Artist Proof (A/P)
Signature: Hand-signed “Tony Mafia”
Inscription: “Artist Proof”
Approx. framed dimensions: 15” × 12”
Approx. opening/visible artwork area: 6.5” × 5.5”
Framing: Newly reframed
Materials: Acid-free archival framing materials

Condition: The artwork has been newly reframed using acid-free materials and is ready for display. The etching exhibits the character and appearance of an older original work on paper. Please examine all photographs carefully, as they are an important part of the description.

A wonderful opportunity to acquire a signed Artist Proof by Tony Mafia, particularly appealing to collectors of Judaica, Jewish art, etchings, works on paper, and 20th-century American art. See less