Torah Ark Curtain (Istanbul)

Artist Unknown

ca. 1735

The embroidered structure in the center of this silk Torah ark curtain is thought to be a loose representation of the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, with its six minarets and entryway stairs. A somewhat roughly written Hebrew dedication is wedged above the mosque and between the flanking column; the contrast between this inscription and the otherwise rich, masterful embroidery has led scholars to speculate that this curtain was created for use by Muslims and was only subsequently repurposed for the synagogue.

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Credits

The H. Ephraim and Mordecai Benguiat Family Collection / The Jewish Museum, New York.

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

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Faience-tile mosaic of floral designs throughout, two lines of Hebrew text at the top, and three niches at bottom.
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Related Guide

Early Modern Visual and Material Culture

1500–1750

Early modern Jewish visual culture flourished, with illuminated manuscripts, ornate synagogues, and portraiture alongside increasing non-Jewish interest in Jewish customs and greater Jewish self-representation.

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