​This is a portrait of Harry Houdini that is part of the Abraham Schwadron portrait collection at the National Library of Israel. The portrait is a reprint of the original that was printed in 1934 in a book called The Jews in Magic Art, Jewish Magic Artists: A Biographies Collection by Günther Dammann, himself a Jewish magician. On the back of the portrait there is a note from Dammann to Abraham Schwadron. The note is written in German and appears to include a dedication to the Jewish National and University Library (the previous name of the National Library of Israel). The words beneath the portrait are: “Harry Houdini (Erich Weiss) the greatest magician of all time.” In the portrait, Houdini looks quite conservative, wearing a suit and tie and a serious expression.

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Harry Houdini - Harry Houdini was born as Erich Weiss in Budapest, Hungary in 1874 and moved to the United States at the age of four. His father was a Reform rabbi and served as the rabbi of Appleton, Wisconsin, before moving to New York. Houdini became an illusionist and stunt performer, particularly famous for his remarkable escape stunts. His most famous tricks included escaping from a straitjacket, handcuffs, and a locked water-filled milk can. 

Houdini died of appendicitis in Michigan on Halloween of 1926 but is still seen as a great source of inspiration by magicians all over the world. There is a museum dedicated to him in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and in Budapest, his hometown, there is a museum and theatre called The House of Houdini located in Buda Castle, which displays artifacts and props from films made about him.