Overview

In Illuminating in Micrography, Dalia-Ruth Halperin analyzes the Catalan Micrography Maḥzor, a fourteenth-century Barcelonan manuscript in Israel’s National Library. Decorated with micrography, the Jewish scribal art typical of Bible manuscripts, this maḥzor, which includes a rich full-page panel micrography cycle, is unique. Along with the codicological and paleographical analysis, essential for understanding the scribe’s thought and working processes, the author’s meticulous reading of the micrography text reveals the scribe’s textual editing and manipulations. Decoding his writing flow and sequences revealed a close association between the penned text and the images formed, which reflect a Jewish theosophical-theurgical cycle. Evidence of the scribe’s association with the renowned Bassa atelier enhances our knowledge of the cultural, economic, and ethnic realities of the time.

Full Product Details

Author:   Dalia-Ruth Halperin
Publisher:   Brill
Imprint:   Brill
Volume:   51
Weight:   1.260kg
ISBN:  

9789004244436

ISBN 10:   9004244433
Pages:   680
Publication Date:   21 June 2013
Audience:   General/trade ,  General
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Available To Order  
We have confirmation that this item is in stock with the supplier. It will be ordered in for you and dispatched immediately.

Table of Contents

Abbreviations ... ix List of Illustrations and Photo Credits ... xi A Note on Transliterations and Translations ... xxiii Manuscripts Cited and Their Abbreviations ... xxv Piyyuṭ: Terms, Translations, and Short Explanations ... xxxv Preface ... xli Introduction ... 1 1 The Art of Micrography and Its Research Methodology ... 5 The Masorah ... 5 The Decoration’s Forming Text ... 7 The Artistic Development of Micrography ... 9 Micrography in the Middle Ages ... 14 Research Survey ... 16 Micrography Research Methodology ... 18 2 The Manuscript’s Material Evidence ... 23 Codicology ... 23 Writing Materials and Quire Structure ... 23 Perforation and Ruling Layout ... 26 Structural Transparency and Line Management Methods ... 30 Paleography ... 35 The Scripts Used in the Maḥzor ... 35 Characteristics of the Scripts ... 37 Scribe and Micrographer ... 43 The Characteristics of the Scribe’s Writing ... 46 The Semicursive Script and Its Role in Dating the Maḥzor ... 48 3 The Text ... 51 The Liturgical Structure ... 52 The Decoration Program for the Piyyuṭim ... 56 Initial Word Panels ... 57 Prayer Instructions ... 57 Captions ... 57 Marginal Decorations ... 57 Text Analysis: Rite and Branches ... 60 Indications of the Maḥzor’s Place and Date of Production ... 70 4 Within the Cultural Milieu: The Scribe’s Artistic Sources ... 79 The Decoration Plan ... 79 The Scribe’s Artistic Sources ... 80 Artistic Sources from Jewish Art ... 81 Artistic Sources from Islamic Art ... 105 Artistic Sources from Latin Art ... 111 5 Every Word Counts: Deciphering the Micrography’s Text Flow ... 127 Scribal Copying Snares ... 128 The “Choreography” of the Micrography ... 129 Un tour de force: The Virtuosic Choreography of the Micrography ... 134 The Scribe’s Selection of Psalms: Associations between the Text and the Iconography ... 139 6 Reading the Image: Envisioning the Word ... 149 The Marginal Decorations ... 149 The Full-Page Panels ... 164 First Quire, First Opening—fols. 2r/1v (pl. I) ... 182 First Quire, Second Opening—fols. 3r/2v (pl. II) ... 191 First Quire, Third and Fourth Opening—fols. 4r/3v and 5r/4v (pl. III and IV) ... 202 First Quire, Fifth Opening—fols. 6r/5v (pl. V) ... 212 Second Quire, First and Second Opening (Sixth and Seventh in the Cycle)—fols. 8r/7v and fols. 9r/8v (pls. VI and VII) ... 218 Second Quire, Third Opening (Eighth in the Cycle)—fols. 10r/9v (pl. VIII) ... 230 Second Quire, Fourth Opening (Ninth in the Cycle)—fols. 11r/10v (pl. IX) ... 234 Second Quire, Fifth Opening (Tenth in the Cycle)—fols. 12r/11v (pl. X) ... 242 Second Quire, Sixth Opening (Eleventh in the Cycle)—fols. 13r/12v (pl. XI) ... 244 Second Quire, Seventh Opening (Twelfth in the Cycle)—fols. 14r/13v (pl. XII) ... 246 7 The Manuscript’s Tumultuous Journey through History ... 253 The Bindings ... 253 Owners’ Hands ... 258 The First Hand ... 259 The Second Hand ... 263 The Third Hand ... 263 The Fourth Hand ... 265 The Fifth Hand ... 267 The Sixth Hand ... 268 Conclusion ... 271 Appendix 1. Index of Piyyuṭim Used in the Book ... 277 Appendix 2. The Micrography Panels: Text Flow Tables and Diagrams ... 287 Bibliography ... 517 Index ... 541 Plates and Illustrations

Reviews

February 2014: The volume Illuminating in Micrography: The Catalan Micrography Mahzor-MS Heb 8 6527 in the National Library of Israel was recognized by the 2014 Eleanor Tufts Book Award committee with an honorable mention for its major contribution to medieval manuscript studies and Spanish art history overall. ...In conclusion, Dalia-Ruth Halperin's Illuminating in Micrography is a fascinating work that will take the reader beyond the production of the manuscript into a world of cultural exchange, where micrographic art functioned not only as an embellishment but also as a site of theosophical and theurgical reflection...Undoubtedly, this will become a reference work for those interested in micrography, Hebrew (book) art and wider aspects of medieval Jewish history and culture on the Iberian peninsula. Debora Marques de Matos, King's College London, Journal of Jewish Studies, vol. 65.2 (2014), pp. 439-441

February 2014: The volume Illuminating in Micrography: The Catalan Micrography Mahzor−MS Heb 8°6527 in the National Library of Israel was recognized by the 2014 Eleanor Tufts Book Award committee with an honorable mention for its major contribution to medieval manuscript studies and Spanish art history overall. ""...In conclusion, Dalia-Ruth Halperin’s Illuminating in Micrography is a fascinating work that will take the reader beyond the production of the manuscript into a world of cultural exchange, where micrographic art functioned not only as an embellishment but also as a site of theosophical and theurgical reflection...Undoubtedly, this will become a reference work for those interested in micrography, Hebrew (book) art and wider aspects of medieval Jewish history and culture on the Iberian peninsula."" Débora Marques de Matos, King’s College London, Journal of Jewish Studies, vol. 65.2 (2014), pp. 439-441

February 2014: The volume Illuminating in Micrography: The Catalan Micrography Mahzor-MS Heb 8-6527 in the National Library of Israel was recognized by the 2014 Eleanor Tufts Book Award committee with an honorable mention for its major contribution to medieval manuscript studies and Spanish art history overall.

Author Information

Dalia-Ruth Halperin, Ph.D. (2008), Hebrew University of Jerusalem, has published articles on the unique Jewish art of micrography, on the complex ties between the penned texts and the images formed, and on the eschatological and kabbalistic content of such images.

Tab Content 6

Author Website:  

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

No review item found!

Add your own review!

Countries Available

All regions