Img. ID: 25086
Vol. I, fol. 1v; Vol. II, fol. 1r
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Fig. 1: Initial word Genesis MunichRashi's Commentary on the Bible Munich, BSB Cod. hebr. 5, I:1v |
Fig. 2: Title page of Latter Prophets MunichRashi's Commentary on the Bible Munich, BSB Cod. hebr. 5, II:1r |
Vol. I, fol. 1v: The page opening the text of the manuscript begins with the initial word בראשית (Gen. 1:1) written in display script and decorated with a folded ribbon motif by the scribe Meir (figs. 1 and 3), who decorated other manuscripts (fig. 4). However, the text of this page (fig. 3) was copied by Yishai ben Yehiel in his typical semi-cursive script (fig. 5).
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Fig. 3:MunichRashi's Commentary Fig. 4: Fugger MS, drawn by Meir on the Bible, written by Yishai ben Yehiel Munich, BSB Cod. hebr. 50, fol. 330 drawn by Meir (Jerusalem, CJA Documentation) Munich, BSB Cod. hebr. 5, I:1v
Fig. 5: Fugger MS, written by Yishai ben Yehiel Munich, BSB Cod. hebr. 47, fol. 110 (Jerusalem, CJA Documentation) |
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Vol. II, fol. 1r: The title Latter Prophets (נביאים אחרונים) at the beginning of the second volume is written by the scribe Meir in ink display script (figs. 2 and 6) with a hand clasping the stem of the aleph (א) and foliate motifs extending from the yod (י). Meir also executed the pen-drawn animals to the left of the title. Next to נביאים lies a deer with leaves in its mouth; a large hound is lying next to אחרונים.
The clasping hand in the title appears in other manuscripts by Meir (e.g. BSB Cod. hebr. 7, fol. 1 and 15, fol. 1), as do the foliate motifs extending from the yod. The style of the animals closely resembles that of other drawings executed by Meir (fig. 7).
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| Cod. hebr. 5/I-II (Steinschneider 1895, No. 5)
The Würzburg Biblical Commentaries, which was originally produced as a sumptuous single volume in 1232/3, was divided into two around 1549, after its acquisition by Johann-Jakob Fugger. Each volume was bound by the Fugger Binder (see General Document: Binding). The first leaf of volume I, which was lost, was replaced by a new leaf with the text of the commentary to Genesis copied on the verso (I:1v).
The codex was divided according to text and not quires: the second volume starts with the Isaiah commentary on the verso (II:1v), but with the end of II Kings on the recto (II:1r). To separate the volumes a final leaf was added to vol. I with II Kings copied anew (I:128r) from the original (II:1r), before the latter was covered by a new leaf inscribed with the title of Latter Prophtets (II:1r).
The replacement commentaries for Genesis (I:1v) and II Kings (I:128r) were copied by Yishai ben Yehiel. Meir decorated the initial word בראשית (Genesis; I:1v - fig. 3) and executed the title page of the Latter Prophets נביאים אחרונים); II:1r - fig. 6) in the second volume.
The two scribes belonged to the Fugger group who worked for him inVeniceduring 1549 and 1552 (see Introduction to Fugger manuscripts). Meir and Yishai also shared their work as scribes in several other manuscripts in Fugger's Venetian group. For example, in Cod. hebr. 26 they changed hands every few pages, though the marginal decoration was always executed by Meir. Meir and Yishai were also responsible for the work of other scribes in the Venetian group, and thus it is not surprising that they were responsible for the replacement leaves in our Cod. hebr. 5.
