Select manuscript from this collection: B26  S12 S17  S102  86/107

Country of Location:
Country of Location
Switzerland
Location:
Location
Zürich
Library / Collection:
Library / Collection
Braginsky Collection
Shelfmark:
Shelfmark
S13
Manuscript Title:
Manuscript Title
Megillat Esther (מגילת אסתר) / Esther Scroll
Caption:
Caption
Parchment · 1 f. · 24 x 225 cm · Venice · 1746
Language:
Language
Hebrew
Manuscript Summary:
Manuscript Summary
The border design of this Esther scroll is dominated by a baroque arcade featuring four distinctly patterned columns. The arches are surmounted by a balustrade that supports flowering urns, blank medallions, floral scrollwork, and a variety of birds including a crowned double-headed eagle and a peacock. Scenes from the Esther narrative are positioned beneath each of the nineteen columns of text. The engraved border of this scroll was designed by the Italian scholar, artist, and publisher Francesco Griselini (1717-1787), whose engraved border designs were popular in Italy in the eighteenth century. In these illustrations, Griselini has devoted particular attention to architectural settings and spatial perspective. The artist’s printed signature is found in the lower left corner of each membrane. The last scene, placed under the final arch, is rarely found on illustrated Ester scrolls. It depicts the Messiah riding on a donkey heralding the return of the exiled Jewish people back to Jerusalem. The text of this scroll was penned by the scribe-artist Aryeh Leib ben Daniel. In his inscription, which follows the concluding benedictions, he informs the reader that he wrote this scroll in Venice in the winter of 1746. (red)
DOI (Digital Object Identifier):
DOI (Digital Object Identifier
10.5076/e-codices-bc-s-0013 (http://dx.doi.org/10.5076/e-codices-bc-s-0013)
Permanent link:
Permanent link
https://www.e-codices.ch/en/list/one/bc/s-0013
IIIF Manifest URL:
IIIF Manifest URL
IIIF Drag-n-drop https://www.e-codices.ch/metadata/iiif/bc-s-0013/manifest.json
How to quote:
How to quote
Zürich, Braginsky Collection, S13: Megillat Esther (מגילת אסתר) / Esther Scroll (https://www.e-codices.ch/en/list/one/bc/s-0013).
Online Since:
Online Since
03/22/2017
External resources:
External resources
Rights:
Rights
Images:
(Concerning all other rights see each manuscript description and our Terms of use)
Document Type:
Document Type
Scroll/Roll
Century:
Century
18th century
Dated:
Dated
1746
Decoration:
Decoration
Figurative, Margin, Ornamental, Penwork
Liturgica hebraica:
Liturgica hebraica
Megillah
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e-codices · 01/25/2017, 16:35:12

The engraved border of this scroll was designed by the Italian author, artist, and publisher Francesco Griselini (1717–1787). A man of broad intellectual pursuits, his interests ranged from botany and agriculture to cartography, politics, drama, and the arts. In the late 1730s and 1740s he produced several works of Judaica, including four frontispieces for a Hebrew Bible published in Venice 1739 (cat. no. 44), an engraved wall decoration for a Sukkah, and most notably, this illustrated scroll border. The border design is composed of an arcade featuring four distinctly patterned columns. The arches are surmounted by a balustrade that supports flowering urns, blank medallions, floral scrollwork, and a variety of birds including a crowned double-headed eagle and a peacock. Scenes from the Esther narrative are positioned beneath each of the nineteen columns of text. In these illustrations, Griselini has devoted particular attention to architectural settings and spatial perspective. The artist’s printed signature is found in the lower left corner of each membrane. This engraved border design was popular in Italy in the eighteenth century as demonstrated by two similar scrolls in the Braginsky Collection: an unsigned scroll of superior artistic quality (Braginsky Collection Megillah 11) and a small megillah with a related design (cat. no. 100). One of the most striking images in this group of scrolls is the last illustration, placed under the final arch, where the concluding benedictions usually are written. It depicts the Messiah heralding the return of the exiled Jewish people back to the walled city of Jerusalem. This representation of messianic redemption, not commonly found in decorated megillot, is intended to elucidate the final blessing, which appeals to God to bring salvation. The image is copied directly from a Haggadah first printed in Venice in 1609, and reprinted many times over the next two centuries. The text of this Griselini scroll was penned by the accomplished scribe-artist Aryeh Leib ben Daniel (cat. no. 86). In his inscription, which follows the concluding benedictions, he informs the reader that
he wrote this scroll in Venice in the winter of 1746.

A Journey through Jewish Worlds. Highlights from the Braginsky collection of Hebrew manuscripts and printed books, hrsg. E. M. Cohen, S. L. Mintz, E. G. L. Schrijver, Amsterdam, 2009, p. 242

e-codices · 01/25/2017, 16:32:39

Der gedruckte Rahmen dieser Rolle stammt von Francesco Griselini (1717–1787), der als vielseitiger Wissenschaftler, Künstler und Verleger hervorgetreten ist. Er schuf daneben auch Kupferstichrahmen mit biblischen Motiven für Gebetbücher mit dem Festtagsritus (Machsorim) und für hebräische Bibeln (Katalog Nr. 78) sowie ein dekoratives Blatt für die Laubhütte (Sukka). Griselinis gedruckte Schmuckrahmen wurden alle in Venedig hergestellt. Sie scheinen in Italien sehr beliebt gewesen zu sein. Davon zeugen auch zwei ähnliche Megillot der Braginsky Collection (BCS 11 und Katalog Nr. 103).
Elegante barocke Arkaden dominieren die Rahmengestaltung dieser Megilla, über die sich eine durchgehende Balustrade zieht, auf der repräsentative Blumenvasen im Wechsel mit heraldischen Arrangements stehen. Die leer gebliebenen Schilder krönen entweder ein doppelköpfiger Adler oder ein radschlagender Pfau. Unter jede Textkolumne setzte Griselini eine Szene aus der Esther-Geschichte. Trotz ihres kleinen Formats verleihen die grossangelegten Architekturensembles in illusionistisch erweiterter Perspektive diesen Bildern eine gewisse Monumentalität. Die letzte Szene ist nur selten auf illustrierten Estherrollen zu finden: Es ist die Darstellung des auf einem Esel reitenden Messias, der den Juden am Ende der Tage die Rückkehr in das ummauerte Jerusalem verkündet. Sie kann als visuelle Bekräftigung des darüberstehenden Segensspruchs gedeutet werden, worin Gott um Errettung angefleht wird.
Der Text zeichnet sich durch ein harmonisches Schriftbild und ausgewogen proportionierte Buchstaben aus. Einem Eintrag unter den Segenssprüchen am Ende der Rolle ist zu entnehmen, dass Arje Leib ben Daniel sie im Winter 1746 in Venedig geschrieben hat. Aus der Hand dieses Kalligrafen stammt auch eine zwei Jahre später, ebenfalls in Venedig entstandene Megilla (Katalog Nr. 83).

Schöne Seiten. Jüdische Schriftkultur aus der Braginsky Collection, Hrsg. von Emile Schrijver und Falk Wiesemann, Zürich 2011, S. 264.

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A Journey through Jewish Worlds. Highlights from the Braginsky collection of Hebrew manuscripts and printed books, hrsg. E. M. Cohen, S. L. Mintz, E. G. L. Schrijver, Amsterdam, 2009, p. 242.

Schöne Seiten. Jüdische Schriftkultur aus der Braginsky Collection, Hrsg. von Emile Schrijver und Falk Wiesemann, Zürich 2011, S. 264.

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