Shiviti

Moses Ganbash

1838–1839

Drawing on paper of hills, water with boat, and buildings, with Hebrew text on top and border with vines and architectural elements.

This remarkable illustration is at the same time a shiviti—traditionally, a decorative plaque bearing the verse: “I am ever mindful of the Lord’s presence”—and a topographic map of the land of Israel. Panoramic maps featuring holy sites of Judaism were popular during the nineteenth century, although this artist’s combination of a map with a shiviti was a unique achievement, linking the metaphysical omnipresence of the Lord with the physical spaces central to Jewish liturgy. Much of the map’s border is made from delicate paper collage, attesting to the skill of its maker, Moses Ganbash, an artist and scribe. He adds a personal aspect to the map by depicting, at the bottom, a steamship in the Mediterranean Sea, flying a Turkish flag. The Dead Sea is further toward the top near the right-hand side of the image.

Credits

The Jewish Museum, New York. Gift of Dr. Harry G. Friedman, F 5855.

Published in: The Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization, vol. 6.

Engage with this Source

Creator Bio

Moses Ganbash

Moses Ganbash was a scribe working in Turkey during the first half of the nineteenth century.

You may also like

Three cylindrical embroidered cloth covers, two with crowns on top and one with two finials on top.
Tooltip info icon

Torah Mantles

These Torah mantles, thought to be created in the Netherlands, are embroidered and have fringed borders. The mantle on the right is sumptuously adorned with brightly colored flowers, along with panels…
View Source
Page with Hebrew text in three columns, interspersed with drawings of a hand, two lions, fish, and plants.
Tooltip info icon

Birth Amulet, Tunisia

This is an early printed amulet from Tunis, containing texts and symbols commonly used on such talismans printed in North Africa. However, this example is somewhat unusual, as the Shir le-ma‘alot psal…
View Source