List of Jewish illuminated manuscripts

  1. Home
  2. Wiki

Sacrifice of Isaac, opening of Leviticus, detail of fol. 102r, Ambrosian Tanakh, made in Germany, ca. 1236–38, Biblioteca Ambrosiana
Sacrifice of Isaac, The Hammelburg Mahzor, 1347–48, Hammelburg, Germany. University and State Library Darmstadt.
Sarajevo Haggadah, Moses and Burning Bush, top, 15th c. Spain, National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina
13th c. image from Parma Psalter. The main figure is Asaph, who beseeches: "O God, do not keep silence"

A number of Jewish illuminated manuscripts include representational art and illustrations, with many containing religious or biblical undertones, while others focus on law, philosophy, science, or society-based (such as ketubbot, marriage contracts) ideas. These manuscripts spanned a wide geographical array, including Europe, Northern Africa, and the East.[1]

Figures such as Joel ben Simeon became known for their work.

Archival records from medieval Iberia confirm that Jews were painters and practitioners of the fine arts.[2] A number of works survive.

Bibles/Tanakhim

[edit]

Haggadot

[edit]

Mahzorim and Siddurim

[edit]

Chronicles, miscellany, and other works

[edit]

Megillot (ie, Book of Esther or scrolls of Esther)

[edit]

Other manuscripts by region

[edit]
Xanten Bible (1294), New York Public Library[5]
Ha-poteah lanu shaare rahamim, shararit of Yom Kippur. David bar Pesaḥ Maḥzor (14th c), NYPL[6]
Laud Mahzor (1270), Bodleian Library[7]
Tripartite Mahzor (1322), British Library[7]
Rothschild Pentateuch (1296), Getty Museum[8]
Rothschild Pentateuch
Menorah of the tabernacle, Rothschild Pentateuch
Rothschild Pentateuch
Barcelona Haggadah, 14th c., British Library[9]
Hispano-Moresque Haggadah, depicting Moses, British Library[10]

Spain

Iran (Persian Jews, aka Iranian Jews)

Iraq

Morocco

Afghanistan

Yemen

Israel

Turkey

Greece

France

Italy

India

Lithuania

Egypt

Lebanon

The Netherlands

Hungary

Ukraine

Romania

Algeria

Uzbekistan

Syria

Russia

Jordan

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Medieval manuscripts blog". British Library. Retrieved 2025-09-03.
  2. ^ Mann, Vivian B. (2019-12-31), "The Unknown Jewish Artists of Medieval Iberia", The Jew in Medieval Iberia, 1100-1500, Academic Studies Press, pp. 138–179, doi:10.1515/9781618110541-007, ISBN 978-1-61811-054-1, retrieved 2024-09-14
  3. ^ "First Daniel ~Siddur~ Forli Siddur, Forli, 1383". cja.huji.ac.il. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
  4. ^ Tahan, Ilana (2008). "The Hebrew Collection of the British Library: Past and Present". European Judaism: A Journal for the New Europe. 41 (2): 43–55. doi:10.3167/ej.2008.410211. ISSN 0014-3006. JSTOR 41443966.
  5. ^ "Xanten Bible - NYPL Digital Collections". digitalcollections.nypl.org. Retrieved 2025-10-06.
  6. ^ "Ha-poteah lanu shaare rahamim, shararit of Yom Kippur - NYPL Digital Collections". digitalcollections.nypl.org. Retrieved 2025-10-06.
  7. ^ a b Gertsman, Elina (March 2022). "Animal Affinities: Monsters and Marvels in the Ambrosian Tanakh". Gesta. 61 (1): 27–55. doi:10.1086/718084. ISSN 0016-920X.
  8. ^ "Rothschild Pentateuch (The J. Paul Getty Museum Collection)". The J. Paul Getty Museum Collection. Retrieved 2025-10-06.
  9. ^ "add_ms_14761_f043r". British Library Images. Retrieved 2025-10-10.
  10. ^ "or_2737_f077v". British Library Images. Retrieved 2025-10-10.
  11. ^ "Manuscripts and Printed Books | BRAGINSKY COLLECTION".
  12. ^ "Ms. 279 | HUC Hebrew Manuscripts". mss.huc.edu.
  13. ^ "Ḥaye ha-nefesh | The New York Public Library". www.nypl.org.
[edit]