Rimmonim (Torah finial) (one of a pair) c. 1920

These silver finials, or “Rimmonim”, at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, feel like they were built from tiny, intricate units that grew, and then, just stopped. Imagine the artisan's hands shaping the metal, pushing and pulling, creating delicate filigree patterns. What could the maker have been thinking about as they intricately worked on these? What songs were playing in the background? There's this sense of accumulation, where each element—the bells, the floral motifs, the geometric shapes—adds to the overall feeling of reverence and celebration. The whole thing is a kind of meditation, you know? Just like when I’m painting, layering and layering, until suddenly something emerges. Here, the bells aren't just decorative; they’re these little bursts of sound, like thoughts or prayers rising up. Anonymous, but still speaking. And that is what makes art so damn good.