Objects

Fragment of a gate finial

It is part of the collection:

A wooden panel, part of the gate top. The bottom and left side of the object is rectangular. The top edge is arched. Inside the panel, one can see decorative openwork carving. In the centre of the composition, there is a representation of a fantastic creature (Leviathan). It is surrounded by plant tendrils. The panel consists of three fragments of wood arranged horizontally. On the left, there are also flowers growing from plant tendrils. The creature's body is elongated and has no limbs (it resembles a snake). Its body is coiled and ends in a split tail. The creature is depicted from the side. Its mouth is open, with a tongue protruding from the centre. A fin is visible on the side of the head. The verso side was protected with dark brown paint. One can also see fragments of newspaper glued to the verso side (protection?). | The object was found by the donor's father among the post-war rubble in Vilnius in the early 1950s. The panel is a fragment of the top of a wooden gate formerly belonging to the Vilnius Jewish Community Board. The building is located on the corner of 1 St. Ignoto (Giedrio) Street and 3 Liejykos Street in Vilnius. Currently, the building houses Vilnus International House and an eating place. The building was restored in modern times and the gate was reconstructed. | A commemorative plaque on one of the walls of the building informs that the place was visited in 1903 by Theodor Herzl (1860-1904) - Jewish political thinker, publicist, writer, founder and political ideologue of Zionism. | Leviathan (Hebrew: לִוְיָתָן, Liwjatan, Yiddish: Lewjosn) was a biblical sea monster, one of the popular motifs of Jewish decorative art. It primarily symbolised evil, which will be overcome by the Messiah when he comes. The Leviathan's meat was to be food at the feast of the Righteous at the coming of the Messianic times. It also symbolised eternity - depicted as a creature eating its own tail. Leviathan, together with the ox Shor ha-Bor (Behemoth) and the bird Ziz, personified three elements: water, earth and air. | Marta Frączkiewicz

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Information about the object
Author / creator
unknown
Object type
handicrafts
Time of creation / dating
19th/20th century
Place of creation
Vilnius (Lithuania)
Technique
woodcarving
joining
painter’s
Material
wood
paint
Keywords
Copyright status
the object is not protected by copyright law
Owner
POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews
Identification number
MPOLIN-M1265
Localization
The object is not currently on display