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The
mystery is: why does it depict a Star of David over what
appears to be a public house? This symbol was not exclusively
Jewish. It had roots in sacred geometry.
Its power having been realized in India, China, Persia,
Egypt, Greece and by the Jews, Christians and Moslems also,
Freemason and Alchemist, but in this rural, context it was
likely to be Jewish for several very practical reasons: |
1.Three
quarters of the Jewish population of France lived in Rural
Alsace
2.One of the few professions that Jews were permitted to
practice was inn keeping.
3.Contemporary to the textile, major changes in the Jewish
way of life in Alsace were in progress. |
In
France as in the rest of Western Europe the Enlightenment
was fostering respect for the individual and asserting basic
equality of all human beings. Thus the stage was set for
Jews to be finally admitted as equals into the societies
of Europe. In Alsace, where the majority of French Jews
lived, several prominent, wealthy Jews r gained favour in
society. Thanks to these privileges, there sprang into existence
a class of rich Jews who were open minded, subtle, refined
and intellectual. These privileges had been granted to Cerf
Berr, who enlisted the help of the influential philosopher
Moses Mendelssohn to write a report addressing the political
reform of the Jews in Alsace. {Since the Middle Ages, Jews
had been subjected to a compulsory body tax and they were
forced to live in Shtetles, forbidden to own land and restricted
to certain professions.}
My subjective view is that the textile was commissioned
in what turned out to be a brief moment of optimism, by
a wealthy charismatic Jew, hoping that in the new world
emergent in France attitudes were certain to change. Adding
a Star of David to a Rousseauesque design would be an expression
of growing confidence and a willingness to become part of
the wider secular culture amongst Jews. - Not as has been
suggested a satirical look at Jewish life. Such parodies
did appear in print in periodicals, but one would hardly
embellish a textile, which hung in a home with such a sentiment.
Also at this time the six-pointed star had not developed
as a recognizable Jewish symbol. It's universal significance
would have been known to an educated Jew.
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Subsequent
Research.
In June we had sold the textile to a noble soul who planned
to give it to a Jewish Museum, subject to the research proving
correct.
In July a letter arrived from a scholar explaining that
a six-pointed star was a sign in Alsace for quality beer.
Therefore the textile was of no Jewish interest.
My first reaction was that this couldn't be right. Why would
a brewer use a sacred symbol to sell beer ?. In the very
same area, Jews were being liberated and the six -pointed
star was consciously being adopted as a sign to represent
the Jewish faith, in the same manner that the Cross represented
Christianity.
I next contacted Molou Schneider at The Strasburg Museum.
She confirmed to me;
that the six-pointed star hung from taverns in Alsace up
until the Nazi occupation.
I asked her whether there was an explanation for this and
also when had it first been introduced?
A few weeks later I received information that the six-pointed
star had been a medieval guild sign for brewing, rather
like a present day trading standard. It was speculated that
the sign had been borrowed from alchemy where it represents
the point of transmutation.
During the Inquisition at the end of the 12th century both
Jews and alchemists were either killed or expelled from
Strasburg. The symbol of the six-pointed star was outlawed.
There is no evidence of it reappearing until the end of
18*n century.
It appears that the six-pointed star had its renaissance
at the end of 18th century in two highly diverse guises.
This could have been very innocent, both being the result
of the Enlightenment.
What is surprising is that throughout the 19th century these
separate guises co- existed. The Star of David developed
very successfully as a symbol of Jewish faith. - As France
had been the first country to liberate Jews they defined
the guidelines for the rest of Europe. The Jews of Alsace
had been highly influential in this process. If the six
pointed star had such a high profile as a trading standard
for beer why did the Jews chose to develop it into sign
to represent their faith? Far from having no Jewish interest
this textile is a catalyst for Jewish interest. |
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References:
Anti -Semitism its history and causes by Bernard Lazare1897
Judaism as revealed legislation by Moses Mendelssohn 1767
Editdu Roi published in Colmar, at Decker January 17th
1784
Stag Berr: representative of a Jewish nation of Alsace
1726-1793. by Chief Rabbi Warschawski
The Alsatian Jews - Should They Be Granted Equal Rights?"
published in 1790.
A History of the Jews, Sachar, Abram Leon, New York: Alfred
A. Knopf, 193
Identical piece but with bearded figures:
Cooper-Hewitt Museum, Acquisition number: 1954-14 8-1,
catalogued as Alsace, 18th Century
Similar textiles published in this rural theme but without
a Star of David:
Western European printed textiles 16th-18th century State
Hermitage Collection t4059
Les delice des quarter saisons designed by Jean-Baptiste
Huet c 1785 Jouy, Musee Oberkampf 9831512. Published in
Toiles de Jouy by Josette Bredif page 89
Le Fete Flammande c 1797 designed by Jean-Baptiste Huet.
Jouy Oberkampf Musee 97812b published as above page 13
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