Ketubah made of a decorated parchment cut, for the wedding of Shabtai son of Shlomo Yachya [Jacchia] and Allegrezza daughter of Moshe Mordechai Chazak [Forti]. Lugo, Italy, Erev Pesach, 14 Nisan 5544 [April 5, 1784].

Parchment cut; ink and paint.

Written on a rectangular parchment sheet, its upper margin elaborately scalloped. The ketubah text appears in the center, in square script, with the signatures of the witnesses in the margins: "Yaakov son of Menachem Azariah of Fano" and "Avraham Chai Batsheva".

To the left of the witnesses' signatures is mounted a folded piece of paper, with a poetic dedication in Italian cursive script, implying that the ketubah was given at some point (apparently in the late 18th or early 19th century) as a mishloach manot on Purim to Yitzchak son of Shmuel (signed with initials).

The ketubah text appears in a large parchment cut arch decoration, characteristic of ketubot from Lugo, and contains twisting vines, flowers and birds. Three more frames – to the left, right and bottom – contain similar vegetal patterns and illustrations of birds, lions and deer, the twelve signs of the zodiac and verses of blessing from the Book of Ruth (4:11-12). The upper margin features a finely rendered angel holding two vines encircling the family coats of arms: two lions leaning against a tower (?) in the first, and a head in profile, facing leftwards with a band over its eyes in the second.

79.5X55 cm. Fair-good condition. Stains, some dark, and dampstains, affecting text and illustrations. Old folding marks, affecting text, professionally restored. Tears to margins, with small pieces of parchment missing, professionally restored.

For other parchment cut ketubot from Lugo, see: Ebrei a Lugo, I Contratti Matrimoniali (Imola: Galeati, 1994), pp. 42-43, 48-53; René Braginsky Collection, K105.

For another parchment cut ketubah see Lot 25 of this catalogue.

This ketubah is documented on the NLI Ketubot website, listing 990003035760205171.