Walter van Nus

Strictly speaking Mahler XIII , surnamed The Chassidim Rabbi , again is a musical landscape . Methamorphosis of animal shapes to a horselike creature , that , being in gallop , almost seems to fly but is due to touch  earth with one hoof at least .Next to it , a birdlike creature is actually released , lifted by its special shape and dynamics of the surrounding colors . Geometrical patterns as musical antipodes reflect the organic above . Below , the chassidim rabbi in a characteristic air ; to the chassidim jews , dance is  ritual , warshipping  the spiritual world .

This watercolor is the only one which refers to the jewish roots of Mahler ; He  however , probably in making a director's carreer at the Vienna Court Opera possible ,  chose to be baptized in the roman catholic church .

Also:

Wolfgang Schreiber: Mahler. rororo Bildmonographien, Reinbek 2003, ISBN 3-499-50181-3 (a short , illustrated and surveyable biography ) page 71.