Home
Art Alone
© Center for Jewish Art, Photographer: Unknown,

"In the fifteenth century, a further quire was added to the Worms Mahzor for the second day of Shavu'ot (fols. 221r-224r). On fol. 22lr, at the opening of the piyyut for the second day: אדיר ונאה בקדש (Davidson, I, p. 52, No. 1092), two scenes are depicted combined with the initial letter alef, in pen drawing in greenish ink. Part of the story of Ruth is represented around the initial letter. On the right the large figure of Boaz, richly dressed, is pointing with a stick towards a field where two women are reaping, a man is gathering sheaves, and a woman, probably Ruth, is collecting ears of corn into a large basket; two workmen, to Boaz' right, are pointing at Ruth, who was permitted to glean amongst the sheaves (Ruth ii: 15). At the upper left is the aged Naomi watching the scene with, to her right, a building with a large window, through which a hand emerges holding a shovel full of grain, perhaps alluding to the six measures of barley Boaz gave Ruth for Naomi (Ruth iii:15-17). The second scene is shown within the right arm of the alef. It consists of a half-figure of Moses holding two round-topped Tablets of the Covenant, which are inscribed with the beginnings of the sixth, eighth and ninth commandments (Ex. xx: 13-14). The other parts of the alef are decorated with inverted foliage scrolls, which were a popular motif for decorating letters from the middle of the fifteenth century on. This kind of decoration appeared in the second quarter of the fifteenth century, and had wide distribution, through model books such as the Gottingen and Berlin Model Books and the Guttenberg printed Bible of Mainz 1454. The illustration to Ruth, as well, was rendered in the style commonly found in popular texts of the fifteenth century, which were widespread through the use of wood-cut printing.111 Since the Mahzor was definitely in Worms by the middle of the century, it was probably drawn by a local artist."( Aliza Cohen-Mushlin, "Later Additions to the Worms Mahzor", p.94).

Name/Title
Worms Mahzor | Unknown
Object
Object Detail
Vol. I, fol. 221
Settings
Unknown
Date
1272
Active dates
Reconstruction dates
Historical Origin
Unknown
Community type
Congregation
Unknown
Site
Unknown
School/Style
Unknown|
Period
Unknown
Period Detail
Collection
Documentation / Research project
Unknown
Material / Technique
Material Stucture
Material Decoration
Material Bonding
Material Inscription
Material Additions
Material Cloth
Material Lining
Tesserae Arrangement
Density
Colors
Construction material
Measurements
Height
Length
Width
Depth
Circumference
Thickness
Diameter
Weight
Axis
Panel Measurements
Condition
Extant
Documented by CJA
Surveyed by CJA
Present Usage
Present Usage Details
Condition of Building Fabric
Architectural Significance type
Historical significance: Event/Period
Historical significance: Collective Memory/Folklore
Historical significance: Person
Architectural Significance: Style
Architectural Significance: Artistic Decoration
Urban significance
Significance Rating
Textual Content
Unknown |
Languages of inscription
Unknown
Shape / Form
Unknown
0
Ornamentation
Custom
Contents
Codicology
Scribes
Script
Number of Lines
Ruling
Pricking
Quires
Catchwords
Hebrew Numeration
Blank Leaves
Direction/Location
Façade (main)
Endivances
Location of Torah Ark
Location of Apse
Location of Niche
Location of Reader's Desk
Location of Platform
Temp: Architecture Axis
Arrangement of Seats
Location of Women's Section
Direction Prayer
Direction Toward Jerusalem
Coin
Coin Series
Coin Ruler
Coin Year
Denomination
Signature
Colophon
Scribal Notes
Watermark
Hallmark
Group
Group
Group
Group
Group
Trade Mark
Binding
Decoration Program
Summary and Remarks
Remarks
Suggested Reconsdivuction
History/Provenance
Main Surveys & Excavations
Bibliography
Short Name
Full Name
Volume
Page
Type
Documenter
|
Author of description
|
Architectural Drawings
|
Computer Reconstruction
|
Section Head
|
Language Editor
|
Donor
|
Negative/Photo. No.