Papercut amulet

Name/Title

Papercut amulet

Entry/Object ID

K_1063

Description

A hand-cut Jewish papercut on parchment, most likely from Germany, dating to the 18th or early 19th century. The amulet bears Hebrew inscriptions and is finely decorated with delicate cut-work motifs including a deer, a Torah crown, a flowering tree, and geometric and vegetal ornaments typical of Ashkenazi Jewish folk art of the period. The overall shape is heart-like, symbolizing love and blessing, and it was likely created as a protective amulet or ceremonial gift for a family occasion such as a birth, wedding, or redemption ritual. A refined and evocative work of art reflecting the spiritual and aesthetic world of Central European Jewish communities in the early modern era.

Made/Created

Place

Country

Germany

Continent

Europe

Notes

Date made: 18th or 19th century

Dimensions

Height

4-1/4 in

Material

Paper