Handwritten and Illustrated Esther Scroll – Attributed to Scribe-Artist Aryeh Leib ben Daniel of Goraj – Italy ...

Handwritten and Illustrated Esther Scroll – Attributed to Scribe-Artist Aryeh Leib ben Daniel of Goraj – Italy, 18th Century

Handwritten and illustrated Esther scroll, attributed to the scribe-artist Aryeh Leib ben Daniel of Goraj. [Presumably Italy, ca. 1744-1755].

Ink on parchment.

Esther scroll written on three parchment membranes sewn together, 10 columns, 33 lines per column, with serifs (Tagim). Six columns begin with the word "HaMelech". The edge of the scroll preceding the first column contains the blessings to be recited before and after the Megillah reading, followed by an instruction to continue with VeAtah Kadosh.

The Esther scroll is decorated throughout with sepia-colored illustrations, in a regular pattern: the upper margins feature a pair of birds, round flower vases and round medallions depicting characters from the Purim story; the bottom margins feature pairs of hissing lions flanking round medallions depicting scenes from the Purim story. The first six columns of text are bordered by rectangular strips decorated with birds holding flowers in their beaks; the last four columns of text are bordered by large figures representing characters from the Megillah story. All of the illustrations are drawn against a rich vegetal background, and all the medallions and characters depicted are captioned in Rashi script.

Illustrations:

The five major figures adorning the last text columns – dressed in royal garb and capped in decorated cloaks, crowns or hats, holding a scepter, scroll or sword – represent King Ahasuerus, Vashti, Mordecai, Esther and Haman.

The characters depicted in profile in the upper medallions represent the seven princes of Persia and Media (mentioned in Esther 1:14): Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, followed by three of the king's eunuchs (mentioned in various places in the Book of Esther): Hegai, Shaashgaz, Hathach.

Ten illustrations in the bottom frames depict scenes from the Purim story (with short captions):

• Ahasuerus' feast.

• The beheading of Vashti (based on the Midrash).

• The hanging of Bigthan and Teresh.

• The king's servants bow down to Haman; Mordecai sits in the king's gate.

• The king, in bed, has the book of chronicles read to him.

• Haman leads Mordecai on horseback and Haman's daughter empties a chamber pot on his head (based on the Midrash).

• The hanging of Haman.

• The hanging of the sons of Haman on the gallows.

• The Purim celebration, accompanied by musicians.

• Mordecai and Esther write the Purim letter.

Although the scroll is unsigned, it betrays the distinctive hand of the scribe-artist Aryeh Leib ben Daniel of Goraj (Poland). During his period of activity (ca. 1732-1755), Aryeh Leib produced dozens of illustrated Esther scrolls, some 20 of which bear his signature. The present scroll is very similar in design to the large group of scrolls Aryeh Leib produced in Italy ca. 1744-1755, characterized by sepia-colored illustrations, the lion and bird motifs, and round medallions and figures representing the heroes of the Megillah story. A variety of these scrolls is held in several museum collections, including the Jewish Museums in Amsterdam, Paris, Frankfurt, New York and Prague, the Israel Museum and more, as well as in private collections.

Height of parchment: 24 cm, length of parchment: 151.5 cm. Overall good condition. Damage to beginning of first membrane, including creases, tears and dark stains to margins of first three columns, professionally restored, but noticeable. Rolled on original handle, decorated, 43 cm.

For more information about Aryeh Leib ben Daniel of Goraj, see: Chaya Benjamin: The Stieglitz Collection, Masterpieces in Jewish Art, (Israel Museum Press, 1987), item 186; René Braginsky Collection, S95.

See also previous lot.

Provenance: Sotheby's, New York, February 1, 1984, Lot 106.