Purim Tray

Artist Unknown

17th Century

Metal tray with repoussé images of birds and fruit around rim, and image of king and subjects in center.
This Purim tray from the seventeenth century was made in Hamburg, Germany. A fine repoussé piece, its center is adorned with a court scene, complete with a ruler sitting on a raised throne, surrounded by advisers, extending a gift to a subject kneeling below, her arm outstretched in supplication. The figures’ vivid presence is further emphasized through the richly hammered and engraved garments that give them a sense of movement and fluidity. The rim of the tray is decorated with fruits and birds.

Credits

Gift of Dr. Harry G. Friedman / The Jewish Museum, New York.

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

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