Ask the Scholar
Document scope · 6 pages
Scholar
Ask about this object, its catalog metadata, its source description, or the page inventory.
For page-specific OCR and visual context, open one of the page chats.
Source Description
This rare wooden panel comes from the Ben Ezra Synagogue in Cairo, where it formed one of the small hinged doors of a Torah Shrine, a special cupboard, also known as an ark, which holds the sacred Jewish Scripture. An inscription carved into the door is particularly appropriate for this purpose: "Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the Lord" (Psalm 118:19). Made in the middle of the eleventh century, this covering for a Torah shrine was carved in wood, and traces of paint and gold suggest that the carved patterns were enhanced with rich color at some point. The forms of these patterns, with elaborate vine scrolls and lozenges, show the influence of Islamic art resulting from the Arab conquest of Egypt in the seventh century.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
18422
label
Panel from a Torah Ark Door
core
obj
dtoType
object
citationUrl
pageCount
6
Source metadata
id
18422
sourceUrl
contentType
object
stage
normalized
title
Panel from a Torah Ark Door
description
This rare wooden panel comes from the Ben Ezra Synagogue in Cairo, where it formed one of the small hinged doors of a Torah Shrine, a special cupboard, also known as an ark, which holds the sacred Jewish Scripture. An inscription carved into the door is particularly appropriate for this purpose: "Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the Lord" (Psalm 118:19). Made in the middle of the eleventh century, this covering for a Torah shrine was carved in wood, and traces of paint and gold suggest that the carved patterns were enhanced with rich color at some point. The forms of these patterns, with elaborate vine scrolls and lozenges, show the influence of Islamic art resulting from the Arab conquest of Egypt in the seventh century.
provenance
Ben Ezra Synagogue, Cairo [removed during renovation, ca. 1900]; Estate auction house, Oakland Park, Florida, by purchase; Barry Ragone, Miami, Florida, 1993, by purchase; Walters Art Museum, 2000, by purchase [in conjunction with Yeshiva University Museum, New York City].
date
11th century with later carving and paint (Medieval)
citationUrl
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
genreSpecific
Wood
doors
panels
imageCount
6
pageCount
6
source
import
dimensions
units
cm
width
87.3
height
36.7
depth
2.5
dimensionsRaw
H: 34 3/8 x W: 14 7/16 x D: 1 in. (87.3 x 36.7 x 2.5 cm)
Source extras
cul
Jewish
inscriptions
[Transcription] Side A: פִּתְחוּ-לִי שַׁעֲרֵי-צֶדֶק ; [Translation] Open to me the gates of righteousness (Psalm 118:19); [Transcription] זֶה-הַשַּׁעַר לַיהוָה ; [Translation] This is the gate of the LORD (Psalm 118:20); [Transcription] Side B: יְבָרֶכְךָ יְהוָה
וְיִשְׁמְרֶךָ ; [Translation] The LORD bless thee
and keep thee (Numbers 6:24); [Transcription] יִשָּׂא יְהוָה פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ ; [Translation] The LORD lift up His countenance upon thee (Numbers 6:26)
dynasty
Fatimid Dynasty
med
wood (walnut) with traces of paint and gilding
creator_ids
6182
collection_ids
MED
exhibition_ids
2114
3315
3748
Page inventory
seq
1
type
photo
mediaId
321b129d684a19fc
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no
seq
2
type
photo
mediaId
34aa9ec34d7f84ec
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no
seq
3
type
photo
mediaId
e081e818522faa0a
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no
seq
4
type
photo
mediaId
b8ff0dc9c831d6cd
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no
seq
5
type
photo
mediaId
8fb3f4d2afe2d8e5
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no
seq
6
type
photo
mediaId
f189bb523022f169
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no