Obj. ID: 452
Jewish Architecture Ceiling of the Beit Tefilah Benyamin Synagogue in Chernivtsi (Cernăuţi) - Photos of 1993
To the main object: Beit Tefilah Benyamin Synagogue in Chernivtsi - Ceiling
The composition of the ceiling is determined by twelve angled frames, resulting from the intersection of four centrally symmetrical equilateral triangles. The central medallion is decorated with flowers, the corner ones contain the images of a lion, an eagle, a leopard, and a deer. The twelve angled frames feature the zodiac signs, and inside the composition are twelve landscapes and still-lives, framed by cartouches with quotations from Psalm 150.
1) Medallion with flowers
2) Cartouches with quotations from Psalm 150
2.1 Praise God in His sanctuary – the interior of the sanctuary of the Temple with a menorah and a table for the bread offering.
2.2 Praise Him in the firmament of His power – a sky with stars and the sun rising over the Earth.
2.3 Praise Him for His mighty acts – a thunderstorm with the diagonal lightning crisscrossing the dark sky.
2.4 Praise Him according to His abundant greatness – an eruption of a volcano.
2.5 Praise Him with the blast of the horn - two Horns and prayer- book.
2.6 Praise Him with the psaltery and harp - violin, clarinet, lute.
2.7. Praise Him with timbrel and dance - drum and pipe.
2.8. Praise Him with stringed instrument and organs - clarinet, guitar, pipe, lute, cymbals.
2.9.Praise Him upon the loud cymbals- cymbals and lute.
2.10. Praise Him upon the high sounding cymbals - trumpets.
2.11- 2.12 Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord. Hallelujah - white and black birds in flight.
3) The zodiac signs placed in the corners of a large dodecagonal rosette counterclockwise. Every Zodiac sign is accompanied by the name of the respective month of the Jewish calendar. The figures are shown against the background of trees executed in brownish and greenish colors.
Libra - Tishrei - Moznaym: above – a set of scales hanging from the sky, and below – a table with a set of weights [for the scale] and a large open accounting book.
Scorpio - Cheshvan – Acrav chameleon or scorpion.
Sagittarius – Kislev- Keshet - a hand protruding from a bush and aiming a bow and arrow.
Capricornus – Tevet - Gdi - goats among the trees.
Aquarius – Shvat – Dli – well.
Fish – Adar- Dagim - fish in the river.
Aries - Nisan – Tale – sheep.
Taurus – Eyar – Shor - bull.
Gemini – Sivan- Teumim - two birds.
Crab - Tammuz – Sartan - chameleon or scorpion.
Leo – Ab – Arye – Lion.
Virgo – Elul- Betula - as a dove with a flower in its beak.
