A DECORATED KETUBBAH FROM ROME, 1787
Auction Closed
November 20, 08:47 PM GMT
Estimate
4,000 - 6,000 USD
Lot Details
Description
A DECORATED KETUBBAH FROM ROME, 1787
Ink, gouache, and shell gold on parchment (32 1/4 x 18 3/4 in.; 820 x 475 mm); written in Italian Hebrew square script in black ink on twenty-six long lines; witness signatures below. Matted.
Celebrating the wedding of Jedediah ben Benjamin Tagliacozzo and Stella bat Manoah Spizzichino on Wednesday, 5 Shevat 5547 (January 24, 1787).
This ketubbah features a delicate floral border of entwined vines and vibrantly painted flowers. A decorative frame at the top and around the outer border of the document encloses a text with good wishes for the young couple. The bride and groom were members of renowned Jewish families from Rome.
The custom of creating decorated marriage contracts began in Italy in the early seventeenth century and continued for over three hundred years. With time, Rome became an important center of Italian ketubbah decoration, and the present lot is a fine example of a decorated ketubbah from the late eighteenth century.