The Meaning of Asymmetry in jewish Art

Abstract

One of the stylistic traits of Ancient Jewish art is an imperfect symmetry of design where in other cultural contexts a symmetrical pattern would be expected. The effect is particularly evident in symbolic panels commemorating the sacred liturgy of the destroyed Temple of Jerusalem, which convey the yearning for the fulfilment of the Divine Covenant by a restoration of former glory. The formal pattern has a dual purpose: on the one hand it conveys the mystic hope for the rebuilding of the Sanctuary, and on the other it reminds the beholder of the non-sacred character of the images. Seen in such a manner the lack of symmetry assumes the character of a ‘symbolic form’ which, like all visual symbols (including symmetry), may denote something which is essentially different from what one actually sees. The frequent occurrence of this pattern in thematic context, which in the classical tradition would normally be associated with symmetry, suggests that the aesthetic criteria which the West draws from its classical legacy are not equally relevant for Jewish art.