Decorated parchment ketubah, for the wedding of Shimshon son of Binyamin Paggi and Esther daughter of Shmuel Sorano. Santa Fiora, Italy, 14 Cheshvan 5538 [November 14, 1777].

Ink and paint on parchment.

Written on a parchment sheet, with its upper section fashioned into a triangular pediment. The ketubah text appears in the center, in square script, followed by the signatures of two witnesses, in Latin characters: "Moise Cetona di Isache Monte Fiora, Raffael di Iosef Servi".

The ketubah is decorated in a symmetrical composition, with guilloches, vegetal patterns and figurative illustrations. In the margins of the upper part are verses of blessing, below which appear illustrations, including: a large crown topping a family coat of arms (a dog or wolf leaning agaimst a tree), the figures of Moses and Aaron, six of the twelve signs of the zodiac, and in the center – an illustration of Jerusalem featuring the Dome of the Rock.

The bottom part shows other illustrations, including the other six signs of the zodiac, allegorical illustrations including a bride and groom in dress characteristic of the period. In the center, under a large guilloche, are two round medallions containing a pair of illustrations of Biblical themes, alluding to the names of the groom and bride (Shimshon and Esther): the right picture depicts Samson carrying the gates of Gaza, while the left picture depicts Queen Esther. These medallions are placed under a cornucopia and are connected by blooming branches and a heart-shaped illustration. The right and left margins show six more illustrations, on various themes (most Biblical): Samson and the lion, a ship at sea, Jacob's dream, a pair of hands clinking cups, the Binding of Isaac (?) and Jonah and the fish.

The son of Shimshon Paggi and Esther Sorano was Angelo (Mordechai) Paggi (1789-1867), a Semitic philologist and educator (see: Servi, Gl' Israeliti d'Europa nelle Civiltà, pp. 178 et seq.; idem, Angelo Paggi e le sue Opere, Corfu, 1869).

The NLI Ketubot website documents only one ketubah from Santa Fiora, dated 1751, with its upper margins trimmed in similar fashion to the present ketubah (undecorated).

64X44 cm. Overall good condition. Stains and creases, slightly affecting text and illustrations. Old tears, old holes and filing holes to right margins, professionally restored.