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© Jewish Historical Museum (Joods Historisch Museum), Photographer: N/A, -

Sheet no. 1

The second roundel is decorated with figures of Queen Esther (on the right) and Mordecai (on the left), roses, a bird, and a group of Jews in front of or going to a synagogue.

On the right, there are men and women seated at a long table set with food - possibly depicting both feasts given by King Ahasuerus (Es. 1:3-8) and Queen Vashti (Es. 1:9). Below them are musicians playing string instruments and below them, a group of seated nude women with spindles in their hands can be seen. Most likely alluding to a tale in the tractate Megillah 12b in which Vashti "would bring Jewish girls, strip them naked and forced them to work on Shabbat."; however, other interpretations are possible. These three depictions are partly visible in the image.

On the left, there is Haman aiming with a stick at the sign of Pisces on the Zodiac wheel (all signs of the Zodiac adorn the third roundel). This represents the moment of casting pur (Es. 3:7), though in the biblical text Haman himself does not do it. Below Haman, the gallows with the bodies of Bigthan and Teresh suspending from it can be seen (Es. 2:23) and below it, two men are shown. One of them - Mordecai - sits on a chair while Haman is standing before him and preparing Mordecai for the parade through the streets of Shushan (based on Megillah 16a).

Name/Title
JHM Illustrated Esther Scroll with Roundels | Unknown
Object Detail
roundel 2
Settings
Unknown
Date
First quarter of the 18th century
Active dates
Reconstruction dates
Artist/ Maker
Unknown (Unknown)
Origin
France | Alsace
| (?)
Historical Origin
Unknown
Community type
Unknown |
Congregation
Unknown
Location
Unknown |
Site
Unknown
School/Style
Unknown|
Period
Unknown
Period Detail
Documentation / Research project
Unknown
Material / Technique
Ink and paints on parchment
Material Stucture
Material Decoration
Material Bonding
Material Inscription
Material Additions
Material Cloth
Material Lining
Tesserae Arrangement
Density
Colors
Construction material
Measurements
The scroll: 290x3600 mm.
Height
Length
Width
Depth
Circumference
Thickness
Diameter
Weight
Axis
Panel Measurements
Condition

The manuscript is very well preserved.

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

The Book of Esther in Hebrew

Codicology

The scroll is formed of 5 sheets, in total containing 13 text panels with 23 or 24 lines of different lengths, except for col. 11 which has 11 lines divided into two half-columns.

The number of columns of text per sheet: nos. 1-3 - 2 columns, no. 4 - 3 columns, no. 5 - 4 columns; 9 of them are framed in roundels.

The text is written in Hebrew square Ashkenazi script in brown ink on parchment membranes.

The letters ח (Es. 1:6) and ת (Es. 9:29) are slightly larger than an average letter in the scroll. Other enlarged and diminished letters are included in col. 11.

The letters of the name of God are marked with tagin bent to the right.

Col. 10 contains numerous elongated letters.

There are some corrections and erasures in the text.

The ruling is made with a hard point, but it is barely visible.

The pricking on the membranes' edges can be seen.

The membranes of the scroll are glued together.

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

None

Scribal Notes
Watermark
Hallmark
Group
Group
Group
Group
Group
Trade Mark
Binding
Decoration Program
Summary and Remarks

It seems that this scroll and two other scrolls featuring the same style (see "Related objects) were executed by the same artist, although two of them are decorated with roundels, while the third one is decorated with octagons.

It seems that the final part of the manuscript was painted by another artist than the main part of the decorations.

Remarks
Suggested Reconsdivuction
History/Provenance
Main Surveys & Excavations
Bibliography

A short description of the scroll and its images are available on https://data.jck.nl/page/aggregation/jhm-museum/M000440 (accessed on 9.08.2021).

Short Name
Full Name
Volume
Page
Type
Documenter
Dagmara Budzioch | 2021
Author of description
Dagmara Budzioch | 2021
Architectural Drawings
|
Computer Reconstruction
|
Section Head
|
Language Editor
|
Donor
|
Negative/Photo. No.
M003461