Torah binder
1615-1616
Medium
Silk embroidery on linen textile, lace edging, woven silk backing
Dimensions
12 ft. 1 in. × 7 1/2 in. (368.3 × 19.1 cm)
Classification
Textiles-Embroidered|Textiles-Ecclesiastical
Culture
Italian
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Karen B. Cohen, in honor of Dr. Michael J. Zelefsky, 2013
Accession Number
2013.1143
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the intricate world of 17th-century Italian Jewish artistry with this stunning Torah binder, crafted by Miriam Foa between 1615 and 1616. Measuring an impressive 12 feet long and just 7.5 inches wide, this slender textile was designed to wrap and protect a Torah scroll, a sacred object in Jewish tradition. Donated to the Metropolitan Museum of Art 2013, it exemplifies the ecclesiastical textiles housed in the European Sculpture andative Arts department. Miriam Foa's mastery shines through in her silk embroidery on linen, adorned with delicate lace edging and a woven silk backing. Fl...