Urbino Synagogue, Italy
Artist Unknown
ca. 1500
Image
This Torah ark, installed in a synagogue in the Italian town of Urbino, is a fine example of Renaissance Judaica. Carved from walnut in the early sixteenth century, the ark belonged to the Sephardic community in Urbino, which had grown significantly as a result of the migration of Spanish Jews after the 1492 expulsion. The ark features pilasters in both of its tiers as well as decorative doors. The ark was refurbished in 1624; changes included additional gilding, rhymed verses, and a coat of teal paint.
Credits
Torah Ark. 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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