Colorful Illustrated "HaMelech" Scroll of Esther. North Italy, Early 16th Century

Colorful Illustrated "HaMelech" Scroll of Esther. North Italy, Early 16th Century

Scroll of Esther written in the script of an Ashkenazic scribe and artistically decorated, apparently by the scribe himself. Colorful marginal decorations with motifs of plants, birds, and scenes from the megillah story. Northern Italy, c. 1500-1550.

The researcher Shlomo Zucker wrote: "Among the megillahs of which I am aware in the many years of my work with Hebrew manuscripts, and the available literature, the artwork in this illustrated Italian megillah ... is among the most original."

Parchment made using the German production method, where there is no discernible difference between the fleshy side and the hairy side (unlike Italian parchment, where the hairy side has hair follicles and skin pores).

Block Ashkenazic scribal script.

Megillah width: 2.63m; height: 24 cm. It is made of 5 sheets with 16 "leaves" (columns); the final sheet is only one column.

There was originally another sheet sewn at the beginning of the megillah, with one leaf, bearing the blessings on the megillah reading - as was customary in Italian megillahs - and it was intentionally cut off by Ashkenazim who were stringent in the halachah! From this sheet, there is only a narrow strip of parchment remaining, about 10 mm, and the thread attaching it to the beginning of the scroll.

Most of the leaves (except for the first leaf and the last four leaves, beginning with the leaf of Haman's ten sons ...) begin with "HaMelech, " "Melech" or "LaMelech" - per the custom that spread among Ashkenazic scribes.

Moderate-fine condition. Tears in the beginning of the first sheet, some of which are reinforced with tape. Several places have text completions - in a different ink. Stains.

There is an opinion included from Mr. Shlomo Zucker of the Manuscript Department at the National and University Library, Jerusalem (ret.).