Hand-painted papercut for Sukkot, by Yosef Zvi Geiger, meant to be used as a sukkah decoration. [Safed], 1910.
This papercut bears depictions of an eagle, lion, deer, and tiger, separated by twisting branches bearing leaves and flowers. The illustrations are in reference to a famous Mishnaic passage from the "Ethics of the Fathers" (Pirkei Avot 5:20): "Judah son of Teima would say: Be bold as a leopard, light as an eagle, fleeting as a deer and mighty as a lion to do the will of your Father in Heaven. The words of the Mishnaic passage are inscribed on two medallions and on flowers and paper slips held in the mouths of the relevant animals. Inscribed on the back, in Hebrew (with abbreviations), are the words "Made in year 5670 [= 1910 CE] […] / Sivan 5670."
The art of papercutting is believed to be the quintessential expression of European Jewish folk art. Eastern European Jewish papercuts assumed many different forms and exhibited a wealth of themes and motifs, to fit a wide range of purposes. They were used as "Mizrah" and "Shiviti" plaques; "Yahrzeit" plaques; "Shir HaMa’alot" plaques, believed to give protection to childbearing mothers and newborns; "roizalakh" (rose-shaped ornaments) to decorate the household during the Shavu’ot holiday; "Ushpizin" plaques for the holiday of Sukkot; and other forms of items.

Yosef Zvi Geiger (1870-1944), native of Safed. One of the most accomplished and prominent public figures involved with Safed’s Torah and charity institutions. Served as general secretary of Safed’s "Kolel" institutions, and was influential in running them. His home served as a regular meeting place for the "gaba’im" (managers) of the various "Kolelim" and congregations. The Yishuv’s foremost newspapers – including "Havatzelet, " "HaLevanon, " and HaZefirah" – all regularly published his articles. His penmanship and elegant calligraphy rendered his handwriting eminently legible; among his many other duties, he served as a "sofer" (ritual scribe) for the Kolelim, and assisted illiterate members of the community by writing letters on their behalf. Geiger was renowned in Safed for being both a gifted scribe and talented painter, entrusted with producing beautifully scripted documents. Among his extant works are splendid "Mizrah" and "Shiviti" plaques; calligraphic and illustrated title pages for "donors’ books"; illuminated donors’ certificates and letters of greeting; and papercuts in the Eastern European style. His contemporaries in Safed glowingly recall the beautiful marriage contracts he produced for the town’s couples, decorated with gilt lettering and with floral and vegetal patterns; and artworks he created to adorn the walls of the local synagogues, including gilt-lettered plaques. Among his many special talents was his ability to inscribe micrographic texts onto grains of wheat; he could fit entire Biblical verses onto a single grain. In the (Hebrew) book of memoirs by Yosef Zvi’s grandson, Benjamin Geiger, entitled "One of the Elders of Safed, " Benjamin writes that his grandfather also specialized in engraving in stone, and his lettering appears on a number of Safed’s headstones.
Benjamin also relates that Yosef Zvi was a pioneering lover and champion of the renewed Hebrew language, and in his efforts to promote the language he would put up signs with words in Hebrew on the walls of all the study rooms and yeshivas throughout the town, so that children would get to know these words. He personally taught the language to his children and grandchildren, ensuring they would become expertly fluent.

Approx. 23.5X24 cm. Good condition. Minor stains. Minute tears. Pinholes to margins.