Large ornate hand-made broadside, inscribed with the tetragrammaton and the Ten Commandments, made by the collector and Islamic art expert Yochanan ben David (1885-1969).
Paper mounted on cardboard; paint and gilding.
Central panel with ten stylized cartouches containing the ten commandments in gold ink, topped by the tetragrammaton in a round medallion, with a dense vegetal pattern filling the empty space. Wide border with vegetal motifs, stars of David and seven-branched lamps, signed lower left "Yochanan ben David".
Yochanan ben David (also known as Yuhanna Mirza Dawud and John David; 1885-1969) was born in Teheran into a wealthy family. He was provided with an extensive education and later traveled to England to continue his studies in art and Islamic literature at Cambridge University. Ben David settled in England, continuing to specialize in Near-Eastern studies, and began to compile a collection of art and manuscripts. In 1911, he married Regina Nur Mahal Khanum from Baghdad. His wedding ceremony was officiated by Abd al-Bahā, leader of the Bahá'í Faith. During WWI, Ben David served in the British Intelligence Corps.
Ben David, who maintained a traditional Jewish lifestyle while adopting the Bahá'í Faith, served as the curator of the Department of Islamic Art at the British Museum, taught Islamic art and literature and worked as translator and writer. Before his death, he bequeathed part of his art collection to the Israel Museum and his archive is kept in the NLI.
Ben David used to "judaize" items he purchased, adding verses, Hebrew letters and Jewish symbols. Apparently, this broadside is a decorated Persian leaf to which Ben David added the Ten Commandments, the tetragrammaton, the Stars of David, the lamps and background painted surfaces.
44.5X63 cm. Good-fair condition. Numerous stains. Damage to paint. Minor tears. Strips of adhesive tape along the entire length of the edges on verso. A leaf with verses from Psalm 106 and the printed signature of Ben David is glued to verso.