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© Horst Ziegenfusz, Photographer: Ziegenfusz, Horst, 08.2020, Negative/Photo. No. M002451.
Name/Title
Historisches Museum Frankfurt Esther Scroll Based on Gaster I Scrolls | Unknown
Object Detail
sheet 1 (cols. 1-6/7)
Date
18th century
Synagogue active dates
Reconstruction dates
Artist/ Maker
Unknown (Unknown)
Origin
Historical Origin
Unknown
Community
Unknown |
Location
Unknown |
Site
Unknown
School/Style
Unknown|
Period
Period Detail
Collection
Category
Material/Technique
Ink and paints on parchment + silver
Material Stucture
Material Decoration
Material Bonding
Material Inscription
Material Additions
Material Cloth
Material Lining
Tesserae Arrangement
Density
Colors
Construction material
Measurements
The scroll: 156-160 x ca. 1700 mm.
The length of the sheets in the scroll: 1) ca. 570 mm, 2) ca. 610 mm, 3) ca. 520 mm.
Dimensions of the selected details in the scroll:
- an average text column: ca. 65x80 mm;
- floral pattern: 80x12 mm;
- cartouche: 30x100 mm;
- an average letter: 2 mm (height).

The case: 185 mm (height).
Height
Length
Width
Depth
Circumference
Thickness
Diameter
Weight
Axis
Panel Measurements
Condition
The manuscript (decorations, text, and membranes) is well preserved. Only the first sheet is slightly damaged and this part was restored.
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
Description

The first membrane of the scroll includes 7 columns of the text and 6 cartouches containing the images (in the image two of them are partly visible) separated by the endless knot motifs. In the spaces between the text panels, repeating floral motifs are placed.

Cartouche 1 (upper margin): At the center, within the scenery of the palace gardens, the crowned and bearded King Ahasuerus sits on the throne under a high canopy at a round laid table. He is flanked by three men on the right and four men on the left, all of whom wear turbans and long gowns (Es. 1:3-8). On either side, there are arcaded buildings in which two groups of four figures sit at a table.

Cartouche 2 (lower margin): The crowned Vashti, within the scenery of the palace gardens, sits under a high canopy at a round laid table. She is flanked by three women on either side. On the right, a group of servants, all wearing turbans, enter the garden through a gate on the right; the first of them addresses the queen. Probably, they come with the king's order that Vashti should appear before him and his guests (Es. 1:10-11). The scene of the left can depict the moment when the queen, after her refusal, is taken from the palace by two men (alluding to Es. 1:19).

Cartouche 3 (upper margin): On the right, the bearded Ahasuerus sits on the throne and is accompanied by the seven princes of Persia and Media. He holds a scepter in his left hand and his other hand points to a man, probably Memucan, who stands before him. Six other men stand behind Memucan (?) and a soldier holding a shield stands behind the king's throne. The scene shows the moment when the king asks his advisers for a piece of advice as to the further fate of Vashti (Es. 1:13-20). On the left, two king's messengers ride on horseback towards a city in the background (Es. 1:21-23).

Cartouche 4 (lower margin): At the center, a group of women is brought to the king's court (Es. 2:1-4). They are lead by a man wearing a turban (most likely Hegai) who holds the first one's hand (Es. 2:8). A carriage drawn by two horses can be seen in the background on the left.

Cartouche 5 (upper margin; partly visible): In the center, the bearded Ahasuerus wearing a turban is seated on the throne with a canopy and is flanked by eight men in turbans who sit on benches. Both hands of the king are outstretched and in one of them, he holds a crown which he is about to place on the head of the kneeling Esther. Behind her, four women stand (Es. 2:17).

Cartouche 6 (lower margin; partly visible): On the right, Mordecai wearing a turban stands within a gate in the wall and looks at two men who are probably Bigthan and Teresh (Es. 2:21). On the left, Haman is approaching Ahasuerus who is sitting on a raised throne with a canopy. The king holds a scepter in one hand and in another he has a ring that gives to Haman (Es. 3:10). A man, possibly a guard, stands behind the throne. There is a fountain in the center of the cartouche.

The meaning of the remaining illustrations in the scroll is the same as in Gaster I scrolls.

Custom
Contents

The Book of Esther in Hebrew

Codicology

The scroll is formed of 3 sheets containing 22 columns of the text with 22 lines except for col. 19 which has 11 lines divided into two parts.

The number of columns per sheet: no. 1 - 7, no. 2 - 8, no. 3 - 7.

The text is written in Hebrew Ashkenazi square script with tagim on selected letters, in black and shiny ink, on the flesh side of parchment sheets.

The letters ח (Es. 1:6) and ת (Es. 9:29) are enlarged and bolded. Other enlarged and diminished letters are included in col. 19.

Every word המלך appearing at the head of the columns of text is decorated with an ornament that is attached to the flag of ל letters. The same ornament is added to the word המלכה referring to Esther. Additionally, to the letters ה in the words המלך tagim are added.

The letters of the Tetragrammaton are marked (cols. 11, 12, and 14).

Three letters are highlighted in the text: ו and ע in the last line of the column listing the sons of Haman and ע in the final word of the Megillah.

In col. 14 there are words written in larger letters.

The ruling is made with a hardpoint; the lines are only inside the text panels.

The membranes in 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
Signature
Colophon

None

Scribal Notes
Watermark
Trade Mark
Binding
Decoration Program
Summary and Remarks

The ornamentation is based on Gaster I scrolls, but the scroll is longer than the prototype.

On the upper and lower margins, there are 20 cartouches in total.

The floral pattern appears 24 times in the scroll.

Every panel includes a single column, whereas in Gaster I type scrolls, there are two columns per panel.

Some details were originally painted gold; at present, those parts are rather brown.

Sketches in pencil are still noticeable. In some places, the original drawing is not colored.

The background is painted in two different shades of pink color.

No two endless knot patterns in the scroll are identical.

The restoration took place in 2004.

History/Provenance
Acquired on 21st April 1893 for an amount of 150 Deutsche Mark.
Main Surveys & Excavations
Bibliography

Mendel Metzger, Eine illustrierte Estherrolle der zweiten Hälfte des 18. Jahrhunderts im Historischen Museum Frankfurt am Main, mit einem Anhang über Megilla-Hülsen, „Schriften des Historischen Museums Frankfurt am Main” 13 (1972), 95-116.

Monumenta Judaica. 2000 Jahre Geschichte und Kultur der Juden am Rhein; eine Ausstellung im Kölnischen Stadtmuseum 15.10.1963 – 15.03.1964, ed. M. Garding, Köln 1964, object no. E 671.

Synagoga. Jüdische Altertümer Handschriften und Kultgeräte. Historisches Museum Frankfurt am Main, 17. Mai – 16. Juli 1961, Frankfurt am Main 1961, object no. 137.

Dagmara Budzioch, Dekorowane zwoje Estery z Żydowskiego Instytutu Historycznego w Warszawie na tle tradycji dekorowania megillot Ester w XVII i XVIII wieku. Zarys problematyki [The Decorated Esther Scrolls from the Museum of the Jewish Historical Institute in Warsaw and the Tradition of Megillot Esther Decoration in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries – An Outline], Warszawa 2019, 1:151-152.

Short Name
Full Name
Volume
Page
Type
Documenter
Dagmara Budzioch | 2020
Researcher
Dagmara Budzioch | 2020
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