A "Menorah" – large papercut serving as a "Shiviti" plaque and amulet. [North Africa, Morocco or Algeria, second half of the 19th century]. Inscribed (Hebrew): "Made by Mordekhai Hanoun...".

Papercut; colored aluminum foil.

An especially large "Menorah" (in Europe, termed "Shiviti") plaque, in the form of a delicate, meticulously crafted white papercut, over a background of sparkling sheets of colored aluminum foil in shades of pink, green, and light blue. A symmetrical composition, exhibiting numerous decorative elements – such as horseshoe arches and geometric, Arabesque-style guilloches – that bear the distinctive influence of Islamic art, as well as a host of delicate vegetal patterns in various forms.

The main, central decorative feature consists of three architectonic arches supported by large, decorated pillars. The rounded central arch frames the "LaMenatze’ach" menorah, depicted alongside the Temple vessels. Flanking the central arch on either side are two tapering horseshoe arches that enclose decorated elliptical boxes framing the Ten Commandments.

The architectonic arches are enclosed by three rectangular frames inscribed with various Hebrew texts. Cut out of the inner frame: the names of the ten kabbalistic "Sefirot"; the initials of the kabbalistic liturgical poem "Ana BeKo’ach"; initials of the verse "Barukh Shem K’vod Malkhuto Le’Olam Va’ed"; a number of variations on the Holy Name; initials representing the names of the archangels Uriel, Raphael, Gabriel, Michael, and Nuriel, in addition to their full names; initials of the biblical verse "a charming son is Joseph, a son charming to the eye..." (Bereshit, 49:22); and finally, the artist’s "signature": "Work of… Mordekhai Hanoun…". Cut out of the middle frame is the inscription "I have placed [Shiviti] the Lord before me constantly…" (Tehillim, 16:8), with the words of this verse divided among the four sides of the frame. And cut out of the third and largest of the frames, in large letters, are verses from Bereshit containing various blessings: "And may the Lord give you of the dew of the heavens and [of] the fatness of the earth… Those who curse you shall be cursed, and those who bless you shall be blessed" (Bereshit, 27:28-29); "And may the Almighty God bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you, and you shall become an assembly of peoples; and may He give you the blessing of Abraham" (Bereshit, 28:3-4).

Approx. 90X70 cm. Fair-good condition. Tears and missing strips, restored, partly with old paper repairs and partly with recent professional repairs. Stains. Abrasions to sheets of colored aluminum foil. Kept in more recent picture frame.

For a similar plaque by Mordekhai Hanoun, see: Kedem, Auction 88, September 6, 2022, Lot 280. For similar Jewish papercuts from North Africa, see: Musée d'art et d'histoire du Judaïsme (mahJ), Paris, item nos. 2002.01.0426 and 2002.01.0427; and the Center for Jewish Art (CJA), Jerusalem, item 48969 (from the Gross Family Collection).