Jewish Divorce Proceedings

Jan Luyken

1683

Print image of men and one woman in room, next to man sitting at raised desk.

This engraving from a Dutch translation of Leone Modena’s Historia de’ riti Ebraici (History of the Jewish Rites) pictures a Jewish divorce ceremony in Amsterdam, in which the wife is presented with a get (a writ of divorce). 

Credits

Jan Luyken, Joodse echtscheiding, 1683. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

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

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Creator Bio

Jan Luyken

1649–1712

Jan Luyken was a Dutch poet, illustrator, and engraver. Born in Amsterdam, he learned engraving from his father, Caspar Luyken. In 1671, he published a volume of erotic poetry but only a few years later, he became a Baptist and turned to writing mystical, religious poems.

Related Guide

Early Modern Rabbis and Intellectuals on the Move

1500–1750

Carrying books and knowledge, itinerant rabbis and scholars traveled between communities, facilitating cultural exchange. 

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Early Modern Religious Practices

1500–1750

Early modern Jews both preserved tradition and innovated, Documents and legal texts reveal rich details about synagogue life, marriage, family relations, and death rituals.

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