Torah Mantle (Vienna)

This Torah mantle was made in Vienna in the eighteenth century. It is embroidered with silk and metallic thread, metallic ribbon, and has metallic fringes. Set against a red background, this mantle’s gold-toned flourishes flank a central inscription and feature vines, fruit, flowers, and a pitcher, a symbolic abundance pointing to the wealth of knowledge contained within the Torah. Within the central panel’s Hebrew text are references to the woman who donated it, Blümle, and to her father, Ḥayim Sinzheim of Vienna, a court Jew engaged in finance, diplomacy, and international trade.