History of Illuminated Hebrew Manuscripts

During the Middle Ages, Hebrew manuscripts adopted the illuminated format

, popular in the Christian world of the time. Contrary to popular belief, art was not prohibited to medieval Jewry. Unfortunately, no examples of early Middle Ages decorated manuscripts have survived.

The earliest dated decorated Hebrew manuscript is a book of Prophets written in Tiberias, circa 895 CE. However, illuminated Hebrew books and manuscripts did not become widespread in Europe until the thirteenth century. Parchment was the writing material used at this time.

The preparation of parchment is a complex and expensive procedure. The most commonly used skins are from sheep, calves and goats. The skins are first washed in water to clean them. Next they are soaked in a solution of lime to loosen the hair, fats and proteins. The remaining hair and fat are then scraped away with a knife. The skins are then dried on frames (hoops were used in the Middle Ages) and scraped some more. Finally the skin is rubbed with pumice or lime to make it smooth. The best parchment needs to be process shortly after the animal is killed before decay starts to set in.

Next the parchment was cut into sheets, which were then gathered and stitched into groups called quires. The scribe writing the text ruled the pages and copied the text, leaving the areas to be painted blank. Then the quire would be handed over to an artist if the painting was not to be done by the scribe. If letters were to be illuminated, they would be painted before other artwork were added.

There were medieval recipe books which listed ingredients to prepare different color pigments and different formulae for applying gold leaf.

Medieval Hebrew manuscripts were often decorated. Aside from the prohibitions against the depiction of Ezekiel's vision of G-d's Chariot (Chagiga, Chapter 2) and G-d himself, artwork was not forbidden. However, due to its distracting nature, some authorities condemned the practice. Ashkenazi Jews avoided representing the human form, and developed the custom of replacing the human head with that of a bird or other animal.

Since Jewish artisans were forbidden to join the craft guilds, not much is known about the Jewish illuminators. Information about some of the scribes and illuminators were provided by colophons, notes at the end of a text or book. These appear in the form of microcalligraphy, or as a zoomorphic or anthropomorphic letters. These were precursor to logos of today.

Microcalligraphy, is an Jewish art form that developed in the 9th century, but has it roots in antiquity. Minute Hebrew letters are used to form designs. They can be very elaborate, incorporating entire books of Tanach. See my example of "Elan" on my website:http://www.illummanuscripts.com.

History of Illuminated Hebrew Manuscripts

By: Marcia Karon

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