Megillas Esther Illustrated and Printed on Parchment. Amsterdam, Early 18th Century
Hand-painted printed parchment scroll of Megillas Esther with copperplate engravings.
This megillah, crafted in the early 18th century, is part of a collection of beautiful megillos adorned with copperplate engravings that were characteristic of the 17th and early 18th centuries. After the printing of the present megillah, an artist hand-painted and added color to the illustrations.
The columns are divided with decorative copperplate pillars and upper and bottom copperplate engraved borders. The illustrations on the bottom of the page depict the story of the megillah.
The upper illustrations are mostly landscapes depicting gardens, urban houses, a horseback rider, etc.
The first leaf opens with the blessings recited before the reading of the megillah surrounded by miniature drawings depicting the story of the megillah.
Among the numerous illustrations are: Drawings of Queen Esther; the wedding of Achashverosh and Esther; Bigsan and Seresh; Haman and his sons hanging on the tree; Mordechai sitting in the king’s gate and refusing to bow down to Haman; Haman leading Mordechai on a horse; and Esther and Mordechai writing the Purim story.
Amsterdam, 18th Century.
Height of parchment: 17.5 cm. Text printed on 4 parchment leaves with 16 columns per page and 24 lines per column.
Condition: Printing slightly faded; preserved in new case.
Bibliography: For a similar megillah, see Chaya Benjamin, Shtiglitz Collection. Israel Museum, Jerusalem 1987 #187 which ascribes this megillah to Germany, 17th-18th century.
Provenance: Yechezkel Toporowitch Collection
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