Coupled-column Ottoman parokhet (Torah curtain)
Egypt, Cairo
Early 17th century

Torah curtains were used to cover the ark or case in which the Torah or biblical scrolls were kept in synagogues. This Torah curtain reflects a well-known type of Ottoman court prayer rug or sajjadah, with a single arch supported by decorated single or coupled columns with faceted bases that appear to be rendered in perspective. The central motif is a menorah in the form of a chalice decorated with nine hanging lamps. In a panel above the arch is a Hebrew inscription from the book of Psalms CXVIII:20: -- "This is the Gate of the Lord: Through it the Righteous Enter."

Elements of Ottoman court design and architecture, Ottoman adaptations of Egyptian dyeing and weaving techniques, Islamic iconography, Italian one-point perspective, and adaptations of Spanish Islamic architectural forms, all came together to form a classical prototype for literally hundreds of Anatolian prayer rugs and Torah curtains over the subsequent centuries.

The Textile Museum R16.4.4
Acquired by George Hewitt Myers in 1915

© 2002 THE TEXTILE MUSEUM

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