The barren, dry Jerusalem landscape seemed to choke Anna Ticho's talent. Since she and her husband Avraham moved from Austria to Palestine in 1912, she could not bring herself to paint, although she had been trained as an artist since childhood. Only when they were stationed in Damascus during World War I had she picked up her paintbrush and discovered that she could still create art.

Their newly purchased home served as an eye clinic for Jerusalem's population, and although Anna was content to assist Avraham, her soul cried out for inspiration. If I could paint in Damascus, she realized, then I can surely paint here. Armed with her sketch pad and charcoal, she journeyed to the nearby hills to observe the views and figures of Jerusalem.

We'll work as a team, Avraham and I, she thought excitedly. He will heal the eyes of the population, and I will give them beautiful art to look at. Breathing in the arid Jerusalem air, Anna began to sketch.

Anna painted many famous drawings of the foothills and historical sites of Jerusalem, and lived to see the city flourish and grow. She received many honorary awards, including the Israel Prize. After her death, she bequeathed her house to the city of Jerusalem as a cultural and artistic center. Ticho House still stands today as a branch of the Israel Museum.