Certificate of Appreciation Honoring Dr. Ignaz (Yitzchak) Kuranda, President of the Jewish Community of Vienna – ...

Certificate of Appreciation Honoring Dr. Ignaz (Yitzchak) Kuranda, President of the Jewish Community of Vienna – Color Lithograph with Illustrations of the Ancient Jewish Cemetery of Prague – Prague, 1881

Certificate of appreciation bestowed upon Dr. Ignaz (Yitzchak) Kuranda by the Gomlei Chasadim Chevra Kadisha of Prague. Color lithograph, Mittag & Wildner: Prague, dedication dated 5641 (1880-1881).

Large, elaborate certificate of appreciation, with a dozen illustrations depicting the ancient Jewish cemetery of Prague – featuring images of several of its distinguished and ancient graves – and the activities of the Gomlei Chasadim Chevra Kadisha in the city.

The eight illustrations depicting the cemetery document the graves of R. David Oppenheim, R. Mordechai Meisel – leader of the Jewish community in the time of the Maharal, the Maharal of Prague, R. David Gans, the noblewoman Hendele wife of financier Yaakov Bassevi, R. Avigdor Kara, R. Shimon Shapiro and R. Yosef Shlomo Delmedigo (Yashar of Kandia). The remaining four illustrations depict the activities of the Chevra Kadisha.

The center of the certificate contains printed blessings and dedications from the Chevra Kadisha, with the recipient's name and titles filled in by hand: "The man raised high, the all-around sage R. Dr. Yitzchak Kuranda, one of the ministers and advisors of the lands of the King of Austria, adorned in glorious ornaments by kings desiring his honor!".

Ignaz (Yitzchak) Kuranda (1811-1884) was a publicist, author and Austrian statesman born in Prague, who took an active part in Jewish community life in Vienna in the second half of the 19th century. Kuranda served as a representative in the Landtag of Lower Austria from 1861 and later served as president of the Jewish community of Vienna (IKG) from 1872 until his passing.

The bottom margins of the document contain the signatures of the representatives of the Chevra Kadisha in Prague: "Itzek R. Avraham Schitz", "Shmuel Taussig", "Kaufman Plahn", "Moshe R. Avraham Wohle Absan", "David Zoppert", "Zechariah Kuh", "Leib son of R. David Kuhe Segal".

This document is reminiscent, in design and layout, of Mizrach and Yahrzeit posters printed in central Europe during the 19th century which were distributed and sold commercially. Nevertheless, the present certificate appears to be an original work designed specifically for the Gomlei Chasadim society of Prague; we know of no other copies of this print, and it appears that even the illustrations printed here were specifically designed for this certificate, as they do not appear in other sources.

38X48 cm. Fair-good condition. Wide, complete margins. Creases, wear and rolling marks. Stains, some dark. Marginal tears, some reinforced with tape to verso.