A ketubbah (“writ”) is a pre-nuptual contract that specifies many of a groom’s obligations to his bride in the event of divorce or the death of the husband. Rooted in ancient traditions, the ketubbah, the purpose of which is to protect a woman’s interests, was for much of its history a genuine contract, the specifics of which could be modified for individual relationships; eventually, though, the formula of the ketubbah was standardized. Because of the importance of the wedding in Jewish tradition,  it became customary to decorate ketubbot, and these documents are often the most beautiful artistic creations of local Jewish cultures. 

This ketubbah, from Venice (1691), is crowned by the image of the walled city of Jerusalem, placing Jerusalem “above our chiefest joy” on this happy occasion. The two angels, announcing the occasion, hold banners that display symbols of the two families being joined at the wedding; such symbols were taken by distinguished Italian Jews in emulation of their neighbors. The text at the right is the ketubbah proper while that to the left is additional conditions, following Sephardi custom.