Description
This candlestick, generally part of a pair, is used for the lighting of the Shabbat and festival candles, performed by the mistress of the house shortly before sunset, marking the entry of the holy day into the home. It is one of the most emblematic Jewish domestic objects. Polish models, in silver, often feature a baluster shaft and a heavy base, chased and repoussé with floral motifs, gadrooning, and scrolls. Their production forms part of the rich silversmithing tradition of Eastern Europe, where Shabbat candlesticks constituted a precious possession transmitted within families. This object embodies the domestic and feminine dimension of the sanctification of time.
