Kiddushin and Wedding Ceremony

Bernard Picart

1723

Two-panel drawing, the top of many people in interior room, some seated on right side under canopy, and the bottom of many people outside with a central figure with veil.
Between 1723 and 1737, illustrator Bernard Picart partnered with the Dutch bookseller, editor, and publisher Jean-Frédéric Bernard on Cérémonies et coutumes religieuses de tous les peuples du monde (Religious Ceremonies and Customs of All the Peoples of the World). It was the most famous encyclopedic work on religion of its time, and is considered the first global, comparative vision of religion. It was condemned by the Catholic Church but was a success with the public and translated immediately into Dutch, and later into English and German. It was reprinted many times. The book’s 266 plates by Picart included depictions of Jewish religious practices in Amsterdam, focusing on the wealthy Sephardic community. Here, two rituals related to marriage are depicted: (top) the groom breaking the glass in the wedding ceremony and (bottom) kiddushin, the betrothal ceremony, where the groom gives the bride an object of value (here, a ring).

Credits

Bernard Picart (workshop of), Huwelijksplechtigheid bij Portugese en Asjkenazische Joden Ceremonie nuptiale des Juifs Portugais / Ceremonie nuptiale des Juifs, Amsterdam, 1723. Allemands. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

Published in: The Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization, vol. 5.

Engage with this Source

You may also like

Print of two scenes, both with French text below: the top showing men in large room walking in circle with books, the bottom showing men shoveling dirt onto grave.
Tooltip info icon

Funeral Activities

Between 1723 and 1737, illustrator Bernard Picart partnered with the Dutch bookseller, editor, and publisher Jean-Frédéric Bernard on Cérémonies et coutumes religieuses de tous les peuples du monde (R…
View Source
Photograph depicting people walking toward buildings, away from the camera.
Tooltip info icon

Beach Scene, Rosh Hashanah

This photograph of Jewish men on a Miami beach carrying their prayer books to synagogue on Rosh Hashanah appeared in Nagler and Isaac Bashevis Singer’s 1991 book, My Love Affair with Miami Beach. The…
View Source