- 178
An Important Micrographic Illustrated Omer Calendar [Dov Margolioth, Germany, ca. 1830]
Estimate
50,000 - 70,000 USD
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Description
- paper
pen and ink on paper.
height 23 in.; width 26 1/2 in.
58 cm; 67.5 cm
Micrography, the scribal practice of employing minuscule script to create abstract shapes or figurative designs, is an art form that has been used by Jews for over a millennium. This intricate decorative technique was first practiced in Egypt and the Land of Israel in the tenth century. In the centuries following the advent of printing, micrography continued to be used to decorate ketubbot (marriage contracts) and wall hangings. This outstanding example of the micrographers’ art comprises the entire text of four books of the Hebrew Bible (Esther, Ruth, Song of Songs and Lamentations) as well as an Omer Calendar for enumerating the days between Passover and Shavuot. In addition to a profusion of flora and fauna, four biblical characters are portrayed. At left are Queen Esther and her servant Hatakh, while at right are King Solomon and Bithia (Batya), the daughter of Pharaoh. A remarkably similar micrographic Omer Calendar, apparently by the same artist, features the same decorative motifs and illustrative style as the present lot and is in the collection of the Skirball Cultural Center Museum in Los Angeles (catalog # 39.37.) It is signed Dov Margolioth, son of Rabbi Asher Selig of Szczebrzeszyn, who completed the work in 1830 in Bonn, Germany.
height 23 in.; width 26 1/2 in.
58 cm; 67.5 cm
Micrography, the scribal practice of employing minuscule script to create abstract shapes or figurative designs, is an art form that has been used by Jews for over a millennium. This intricate decorative technique was first practiced in Egypt and the Land of Israel in the tenth century. In the centuries following the advent of printing, micrography continued to be used to decorate ketubbot (marriage contracts) and wall hangings. This outstanding example of the micrographers’ art comprises the entire text of four books of the Hebrew Bible (Esther, Ruth, Song of Songs and Lamentations) as well as an Omer Calendar for enumerating the days between Passover and Shavuot. In addition to a profusion of flora and fauna, four biblical characters are portrayed. At left are Queen Esther and her servant Hatakh, while at right are King Solomon and Bithia (Batya), the daughter of Pharaoh. A remarkably similar micrographic Omer Calendar, apparently by the same artist, features the same decorative motifs and illustrative style as the present lot and is in the collection of the Skirball Cultural Center Museum in Los Angeles (catalog # 39.37.) It is signed Dov Margolioth, son of Rabbi Asher Selig of Szczebrzeszyn, who completed the work in 1830 in Bonn, Germany.
Literature
Leila Avrin, Hebrew Micrography as Art, Jerusalem and Paris: 1981 (similar)
Condition
Backed on paper; soiled and stained; frass; losses at margin repaired, not affecting text or drawing; very minor worming, affecting only individual words.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.