Decorated parchment ketubah, for the wedding of Chaim son of Avraham Basevi and Grazia daughter of Yaakov Baruch Caravaglio. Verona, Italy, 13th Sivan 5472 [17 June 1712].
Ink and paint on parchment.
Written on a large rectangular parchment sheet, with upper edge cut in a wave pattern. The text is written in two columns: the ketubah text in square script to the right, and the Tena'im in Sephardic cursive script to the left. Beneath the text of the ketubah as well as the Tena'im text are signatures of the groom and witnesses, R. Menashe son of Yaakov Chefetz and R. Yeshayahu son of Yisrael Chizkiyah Bassan; these are followed by a certificate of inscription in the community ledger, signed by the registrar Shlomo Levi Mortera (in Hebrew); below this is the signature and stamp of the translator, Moshe son of Refael Chai Naso of Venice, attesting that he translated the ketubah in Venice on 15 August 1741 (in Italian). After detailing the monetary agreements, the ketubah text states that a civil marriage document was drawn up in Venice on 10 June 1712 by Gabriele Nodari Veneti.
Both rabbis whose signatures appear on this ketubah officiated in Verona. R. Menashe Chefetz (d. 1734) served as rabbi in Gorizia and later Verona; he was a brother-in-law of R. Moshe Chagiz and teacher of R. Shimshon Morpurgo, author of Shemesh Tzedakah. R. Yeshayahu Bassan (1673-1739) was born in Verona to the city's rabbi, and himself served as rabbi in Verona, Padua and later Reggio; he was a disciple of R. Moshe Zacuto and primary teacher of R. Moshe Chaim Luzzatto (the Ramchal).
The ketubah frame is decorated brightly and colorfully, in symmetric composition, and comprises two parts: the top is fully decorated in vegetal patterns, incorporating a pair of angels blowing horns, two pairs of parrots, two two-tailed mermaids and four medallions inscribed with blessings. Another pair of figures supports the central cartouche, containing the Basevi coat of arms – an upright lion holding a branch, alongside an eagle next to an olive tree (which also appears on another ketubah of the Basevi family of Verona, dated 1687). The lower part is decorated in matching vegetal patterns, and at the center of the bottom edge is a decorated cartouche with a coat of arms – a star above a tree – probably that of the bride's family, Caravaglio (a name signifying the oak tree).
The Caravaglios were a Marrano family of Portuguese origin that settled in Venice in the mid-17th century, where they attained a high social status and became one of the wealthiest Jewish families, as reflected in the high quality of decorated ketubot of this family. For further information on the Caravaglio family, see: Aldo Luzzatto, La Comunità ebraica di Venezia e il suo antico cimitero (Milan, 2000), pp. 310-313 (the present ketubah as well as the ketubah appearing in the following lot are mentioned there on p. 312, note 4). Other ketubot of the Caravaglio family (Livorno, 1720 and Pisa, 1764) are located in the U. Nahon Museum of Italian Jewish Art in Jerusalem (388 Ms. ON) and the Cindy and David Sofer Collection in London (ketubah no. 8).
64.5X86.5 cm. Fair-good condition. Many creases and folding marks. Stains and some large, dark dampstains, slightly affecting text and decorations, mainly to upper half. Inscription in Italian script on verso, dated 1716.
