Nov
2013
The ketubah Collection at Yale’s Beinecke Library
The Yale University Library has a large collection of illuminated ketubot (Jewish marriage contracts). Below are some examples from our collection.
Marriage contract, manuscript, ink and paint on paper, dated 3rd of Kislev 5649 (1888) at Yerushalem. Document has a scalloped top with two registers. The lower register contains the text of the ketubah and the upper register contains a vase and branches with flowers. The two registers are bordered by a design of blue leaves with red and yellow flowers.
Marriage contract, manuscript, ink and paint on paper, dated 9th of Nisan, 5665 (1905) at Dameśeḳ. The text is written within an arched gilded border in the bottom half of the document. Above it and on both sides are painted large vases with flowers and borders with floral designs. Beneath the text of the ketubah are the signatures of the two witnesses on either side and the groom’s signature in the center.
Marriage contract, manuscript, ink on vellum, dated 7 Tamuz 5549 at Saloniki, Greece. Surrounding the two columns of text are birds, flowers, fruit, columns, biblical sayings, Eshet Hayil, Shir ha-shirim. The right column contains the marriage terms and the left column contains the betrothal terms. Colors used are brown, with coral & dark grayish blue-green.
Marriage contract, manuscript, ink and paint on paper, dated 12th of Nisan 5616 (1856) at Itsfahan, Iran. Brightly colored elaborate floral illumination surrounds the text. In the center above the text there is a large vase with two lions with a rising sun behind them on either side of the vase, and with two birds above. There is a floral arch on the top of the document and two smaller arches framing the text. The frame of the document contain blessings for the bride and the groom.