Obj. ID: 53575
Hebrew Illuminated Manuscripts Ha-Haggadah Ha-Tzahir, Morocco, circa 1870
The following description was prepared by William Gross:
Even though the prayer book for the first evening of Passover, the Haggadah, has been printed in close to 5,000 editions since the 16th century, there are still many manuscript examples existing. This "Dahir" manuscript for Passover, written by Moshe ben Yitzhak Maman, is a special compilation of prayers that were traditionally used in Morocco for Passover on the eighth day. The distinguishing feature of this book is the many delicately rendered black and white decorations, many of which use black for the decorations, leaving the white parts as the outline rather than the normal opposite. The unusually numerous, elaborate, and complex designs make this an outstanding example of the art used in Morocco for the decoration of manuscripts. Some of the decorations very closely resemble jewelry forms used in some of the rural areas. As in most areas of Muslim rule in North Africa, the decoration consists of geometric and vegetal designs with no human visages. The manuscript was written in Outat, an area from which few Hebrew manuscripts are known and an area far from the major cities of the country.
Pages: 89