An Important Illustrated Marriage Contract, Rome: 1781

Ink and gouache on paper, (34 x 23½ in.; 865 x 600 mm). Some staining in upper and lower borders. Mounted in a gilt-wood frame.



Recording the marriage of Abraham son of Moses Elijah Zvi to Olympia daughter of Isaac Moses Zaddik on Wednesday 20 Sivan, 5541 [= 13 June, 1781].

Shalom Sabar, Ketubbah: Jewish Marriage Contracts in the Hebrew Union College Skirball Museum and Klau Library,  Philadelphia: 1990; Ketubbot Italiane Milan: 1984

In this splendidly illustrated marriage contract the text is set within an elaborate border containing the micrographic text of the Song of Songs, Sheva Berakhot (the seven nuptial blessings), Psalm 45 and Kehi Kinnor, the nuptial poem by Samuel Archivolti a 16th century rabbi and author. As was the custom in ketubbot produced in Italy at this time, the artist ornamented the text with a biblical figure whose name is associated with that of the groom. In this ketubbah, centered above the text is the biblical image of Abraham destroying his father's idols. The idols are represented by the planetary zodiacal imagery of Saturn, Mars and Mercury (from right to left) in addition to images of the Sun and the Moon.  The choice of scene alludes to the name of the groom, Abraham. In the upper panel, a pair of heralding putti flank a cartouche depicting the coats of arms of the two families. The emblem of the groom's family (possibly the Alatri family) a rampant lion beside a crowned column is at right, while that of the bride's family, a palm tree, is on the left.

The outer border of the ketubbah is embellished with decorative imagery especially popular in marriage contracts from Rome. The artist has adapted allegorical imagery prevalent throughout Christian Europe during the eighteenth century for use in a Jewish document.  These images were drawn from guide-book which carefully presented a repertory of allegories depicting vices and virtues, emotions, moral and intellectual values. The most popular of these guidebooks, a volume entitled Iconologia by Cesare Ripa, was first published in Rome 1593 without illustrations and then reprinted continuously with engravings.  The seven allegorical figures depicted in this ketubbah are Fede (Faith – shown as a women with a dog), Carita (Charity- a women suckling a baby with two children at her feet), Speranza (Hope), Costanza (Constancy – a woman holding steadfast to a column depicted with a flaming urn and a sword)), an Atlas figure labeled in Hebrew "a righteous person is the foundation of the world", Temprenza (Temperance - a woman with an elephant), and Giuitizia (Justice – a woman with the scales of justice and a sword). The outer boder of the ketubbah is inscribed with verses from the book of Ruth (4:11-12) and Psalms 128.