Illuminating in micrography : : the Catalan micrography mahzor-MS Hebrew 8o 6527 in the National Library of Israel / / by Dalia-Ruth Halperin.

• Superior document: The Medieval and early modern Iberian world
• Author: Halperin, Dalia-Ruth, 1961-
• Place / Publishing House: Leiden : : Brill,, 2013.
• Year of Publication: 2013
• Language: English
• Series: The Medieval and Early Modern Iberian World 51.
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (721 p.)
• Notes: Description based upon print version of record.

In Illuminating in Micrography , Dalia-Ruth Halperin analyzes the Catalan Micrography Maḥzor, a fourteenth-century Barcelonan manuscript in Israel’s National Library. Decorated with micrography, the Jewish scribal art typical of Bible manuscripts, this maḥzor, which includes a rich full-page panel micrography cycle, is unique. Along with the codicological and paleographical analysis, essential for understanding the scribe’s thought and working processes, the author’s meticulous reading of the micrography text reveals the scribe’s textual editing and manipulations. Decoding his writing flow and sequences revealed a close association between the penned text and the images formed, which reflect a Jewish theosophical-theurgical cycle. Evidence of the scribe’s association with the renowned Bassa atelier enhances our knowledge of the cultural, economic, and ethnic realities of the time.

Table of Contents

Preliminary Material -- Introduction -- 1 The Art of Micrography and Its Research Methodology -- 2 The Manuscript’s Material Evidence -- 3 The Text -- 4 Within the Cultural Milieu: The Scribe’s Artistic Sources -- 5 Every Word Counts: Deciphering the Micrography’s Text Flow -- 6 Reading the Image: Envisioning the Word -- 7 The Manuscript’s Tumultuous Journey through History -- Conclusion -- Appendix 1. Index of Piyyuṭim Used in the Book -- Appendix 2. The Micrography Panels: Text Flow Tables and Diagrams -- Bibliography -- Index -- Plates and Illustrations.