Hebrew manuscripts in the British museum
Detail of the Hebrew letter ~shin~ decorated with foliate motifs, which served as a book plate of the patron Shabbetai ben Mattatya of Rome (see Narkiss, 1984). Image taken from f. 2 of Guide of the Perplexed ( More
Detail of a painting of a couple standing at the spread Seder table, lifting the seder basket. Under the table, there is a big cat. Image taken from f. 153v of Prayer book, Italian rite. Written in Hebrew, Judeo-Italian.
Index of biblical passages with geometrical decoration and coloured letters. Image taken from f. 3 of The Guide of the Perplexed, Judeo-Arabic text (~Dalalat al Ha'irin~). Written in Judeo-Arabic.
Text pages with coloured letter, at the introduction to the Guide of the Perplexed. Image taken from ff. 4v-5 of The Guide of the Perplexed, Judeo-Arabic text (~Dalalat al Ha'irin~). Written in Judeo-Arabic.
Decorated scribal formula at the end of Tractate Neziqim. Image taken from f. 329v of Fragment of the commentary on Seder Nashim of the Mishnah. Written in Judeo-Arabic.
Painting of a couple standing at the spread Seder table, lifting the seder basket. Under the table, there is a big cat. Beneath the scene, two figures are preparing food for the Seder. Image taken from f. 153v More
Full-page miniature, upper register: the master of the house distributing the ~matzot~ (unleavened bread) and the ~haroset~ (sweetmeat), lower register: father and son searching for leaven, two women cleaning t More
Full-page miniature, upper register: the slaughter and the preparation of the Passover lamb, smearing the posts of the doorway with blood (Ex. 12:22), lower register: two couples by spread Seder tables raising More
Detail of a miniature of the slaughtering of the Passover lambs and cleansing dishes (~hagalat kelim~). Image taken from f. 15 of Haggadah for Passover (the 'Golden Haggadah''). Written in Hebrew.
Detail of a miniature of people celebrating Seder with a group of young men lifting the Seder basket over the table. Image taken from f. 61v of Festival prayer book (~mahzor~) with miscellaneous works in the ma More
Detail of a foliate border with two hybrids and a peacock in the lower margin. Image taken from f. 189v of Lisbon Mishneh Torah, volume 2. Written in Hebrew. The "BL Harley Manuscript" refers to a collection o More
Full-page miniature of a Seder table, in an architectural frame. Image taken from f. 91 of Haggadah for Passover (the 'Hispano-Moresque Haggadah'). Written in Hebrew.
Detail of a page: miniature of a spread Seder table surrounded by the participants. Image taken from f. 6 of Haggadah for Passover (the 'Ashkenazi Haggadah'), German rite with the commentary of Eleazar of Worms More
Detail of a foliate border inhabited by animals and birds. Image taken from f. 11v of Lisbon Mishneh Torah, volume 1. Written in Hebrew. The "BL Harley Manuscript" refers to a collection of medieval manuscript More
Full-page miniature, upper right: the Dance of Miriam (Ex. 15:20), upper left: the master of the house distributing the ~matzot~ (unleavened bread) and the ~haroset~ (sweetmeat), lower right: cleaning of the ho More
Detail of a miniature of the cleaning of the house. Image taken from f. 15 of Haggadah for Passover (the 'Golden Haggadah''). Written in Hebrew.
Full-page miniature of a family sitting around a spread Seder table discussing the Haggadah. Image taken from f. 18 of Haggadah for Passover (the 'Sister Haggadah'). Written in Hebrew.
Detail of a miniature of the master of the house distributing the ~matzot~ (unleavened bread) and the ~haroset~ (sweetmeat). Image taken from f. 15 of Haggadah for Passover (the 'Golden Haggadah''). Written in Hebrew.
Colophon of the scribe incorporated into a panel decorated with gold and penwork with a full foliate border inhabited by birds. Image taken from f. 434v of Lisbon Mishneh Torah, volume 2. Written in Hebrew. Th More
Detail of a page: full foliate border in the margins inhabited by a lion, a peacock, a bird, and a dragon. Image taken from f. 11v of Lisbon Mishneh Torah, volume 1. Written in Hebrew. The "BL Harley Manuscrip More
Illustration of the explanation about the division of the Red Sea, at chapter 5 of Maimonides' commentary on tractate Avot of the Mishnah: 'They [the waters] were divided into many paths equal to the number of More
Decorated initial-word panel and foliate scroll between the two text columns. Image taken from f. 167 of Miscellany of philosophical works including e. g. the Guide of the Perplexed by Maimonides in Samuel ibn More
Panels decorated with foliate scrolls around the text columns, and partial border, at the end of the Guide of the Perplexed and the colophon of the scribe. Image taken from f. 117 of Miscellany of philosophical More
Decorated panel around the initial words of Solomon ibn Gabirol's ~Keter malkhut~ (A Crown of Kingship) and partial border in the inner margin. Image taken from f. 163 of Miscellany of philosophical works inclu More
Panels decorated with foliate scrolls, at Maimonides' treatise on ~Pereq Heleq~ (the tenth chapter of the mishnaic tractate, Sanhedrin). Image taken from f. 118v of Miscellany of philosophical works including e More
Decorated panel at the closure of a text column framing the end of Maimonides' ~Tehiyyat ha-metim~ (Epistle on the resurrection of the dead) and the colophon of the scribe. Image taken from f. 148 of Miscellany More
Partial border between the two text columns, at the Hebrew translation of al-Farabi's ~Sefer Hathalot ha-Nimtzaot~ (The Book of Principles). Image taken from f. 201v of Miscellany of philosophical works includi More
Decorated panel framing the closure of the text column, at Maimonides' Guide of the Perplexed. Image taken from f. 76 of Miscellany of philosophical works including e. g. the Guide of the Perplexed by Maimonide More
Decorated panel surrounding the closure of the text column at the end of the Hebrew translation of Aristotle's Meteorology (by Samuel ibn Tibbon). Image taken from f. 198 of Miscellany of philosophical works in More
Initial words decorated with blue and red flourishing. Image taken from f. 134 of Miscellany of philosophical works including e. g. the Guide of the Perplexed by Maimonides in Samuel ibn Tibbon's Hebrew transla More
Detail of a page: illustration of the explanation about the division of the Red Sea, at chapter 5 of Maimonides' commentary on tractate Avot of the Mishnah: 'They [the waters] were divided into many paths equal More
Diagram of the four main winds, in Aristotle's Meteorology. Image taken from f. 190v of Miscellany of philosophical works including e. g. the Guide of the Perplexed by Maimonides in Samuel ibn Tibbon's Hebrew t More
Decorated panel around the initial words of the Hebrew translation of al-Farabi's ~Sefer hathalot ha-nimtzaot~ (The Book of Principles) and partial border in the inner margin. Image taken from f. 198v of Miscel More
Detail of a page: decorated initial-word panel and foliate scroll between the two text columns. Image taken from f. 167 of Miscellany of philosophical works including e. g. the Guide of the Perplexed by Maimoni More
Decorated panel with foliate scroll at the closure of the text column framing the colophon of the scribe, Solomon, at the end of Samuel ibn Tibbon's ~Perush ha-milot ha-zarot~ (A glossary of foreign terms). Ima More
Decorated panel and partial border, at the beginning of Maimonides' treatise on ~Pereq Heleq~ (the tenth chapter of the mishnaic tractate, Sanhedrin). Image taken from f. 117v of Miscellany of philosophical wor More
Detail of a page: dcorated panel with foliate scroll at the closure of the text column framing the colophon of the scribe, Solomon, at the end of Samuel ibn Tibbon's ~Perush ha-milot ha-zarot~ (A glossary of fo More
Decorated panel around the closure of the text column, at the end of Solomon ibn Gabirol's ~Keter malkhut~ (A Crown of Kingship). Image taken from f. 165v of Miscellany of philosophical works including e. g. th More
Penwork embellishments accompanying the initial words and spreading to the entire length of the leaf. Image taken from f. 27 of Guide of the Perplexed (~Moreh Nevukhim~) by Maimonides in Samuel ibn Tibbon's tra More
Hebrew letter ~shin~ decorated with foliate motifs, which served as a book plate of the patron Shabbetai ben Mattatya of Rome (see Narkiss, 1984). Beneath, there are three acquisition notes in Hebrew from 1340, More
Panel inhabited by a hybrid, accompanying the initial words of a section. Image taken from f. 5v of Guide of the Perplexed (~Moreh Nevukhim~) by Maimonides in Samuel ibn Tibbon's translation (ff. 3-169v); ~Per More
Initial words framed by an arcade, at the beginning of the second part of the Guide. The arcade is decorated with geometrical, palmette and foliate motifs. Image taken from f. 63 of Guide of the Perplexed (~Mor More
Penwork embellishments accompanying the initial words and spreading to the entire length of the leaf. Image taken from f. 178 of Guide of the Perplexed (~Moreh Nevukhim~) by Maimonides in Samuel ibn Tibbon's tr More
Initial words framed by an arcade, at the beginning of the third part of the Guide. The arcade is decorated with geometrical, palmette and foliate motifs. Image taken from f. 110 of Guide of the Perplexed (~Mor More
Detail of initial words framed by an arcade, at the beginning of the second part of the Guide. The arcade is decorated with geometrical, palmette and foliate motifs. Image taken from f. 63 of Guide of the Perpl More
Panel inhabited by a hybrid, accompanying the initial words of a section. Image taken from f. 7v of Guide of the Perplexed (~Moreh Nevukhim~) by Maimonides in Samuel ibn Tibbon's translation (ff. 3-169v); ~Per More
Penwork embellishments spreading to the entire length of the leaves and inhabited by hybrids, at the beginning of various chapters. Image taken from ff. 26v-27 of Guide of the Perplexed (~Moreh Nevukhim~) by Ma More
Initial words accompanied by a panel inhabited by hybrids and a penwork embellishment, at the beginning of the Guide of the Perplexed. Image taken from f. 5 of Guide of the Perplexed (~Moreh Nevukhim~) by Maimo More
Public domain scan of Hebrew manuscript, free to use, no copyright restrictions image - Picryl description.
Public domain vintage illustrated book page scan, medieval, free to use, no copyright restrictions image - Picryl description.
Initial-word panel with penwork decoration, at the beginning of Ruth. Image taken from f. 223v of Pentateuch with Targum and Rashi's commentary (ff. 1-219); Five Scrolls (~Hamesh megillot~; ff. 220-244v); ~Haf More
Decorated initial-word panel with gold and penwork, at the beginning of the tenth book, the Book of Ritual Purity (~Sefer Tohorah~) with a full foliate border with two hybrids and a peacock in the lower margin. More
Main text (end of Deuteronomy and a colophon of the scribe) is written in geometrical forms; Rashi's commentary and another colophon in the outer margin are written in the form of the Hebrew word hazaq (Be stro More
Drawing of a lion and a bird in the inner margin under the Targumic text, at ~parashat be-huqqotai~ (Lev. 26:3-27:34). Image taken from ff. 146v-147 of Pentateuch with Targum Onkelos and Rashi’s commentary (ff. More
Initial-word panel with gold letters and penwork decoration, foliate full border inhabited by birds in the margins, at the beginning of ~Sefer ha-Mada~. Image taken from f. 31v of Lisbon Mishneh Torah, volume 1 More
Initial-word panel with gold letters and penwork decoration, foliate full border inhabited by a rabbit in the margins, at the beginning of ~Sefer Zemanim~. Image taken from f. 106v of Lisbon Mishneh Torah, volu More
Marginal drawing of a hybrid with a bird body and a devil head, at ~parashat mishpatim~ (Ex. 21:1-24:18). Image taken from f. 83v of Pentateuch with Targum Onkelos and Rashi’s commentary (ff. 1-240v), ~Haftarot More
Initial-word panel with gold letters and penwork decoration, foliate full border in the margins, at the beginning of ~Sefer Ahavah~. Image taken from f. 63v of Lisbon Mishneh Torah, volume 1. Written in Hebrew. More
A drawing of a lion in the inner margin, at ~parashat mishpatim~ (Ex. 21:1-24:18). Image taken from f. 84v of Pentateuch with Targum Onkelos and Rashi’s commentary (ff. 1-240v), ~Haftarot~ with Rashi’s commenta More
Initial-word panels decorated with penwork and pen-flourishing. Image taken from f. 67v of Guide of the Perplexed (~Moreh Nevukhim~) in Samuel ibn Tibbon's translation. Written in Hebrew. The "BL Harley Manusc More
Drawing of a two-headed bird with spread wings framing the marginal text, at ~parashat wa-yehi~ (Gen. 47:28-50:26). Image taken from f. 59 of Pentateuch with Targum Onkelos and Rashi’s commentary (ff. 1-240v), More
Decorated initial-word panel at the beginning of the Haggadah. Within the panel, beneath the initial words, a family is seated at a spread Seder table, while a servant is flaying and roasting the Passover lamb More
Initial-word panel with gold letters and penwork decoration, foliate full border in the margins, at the beginning of ~Sefer Nasim~. Image taken from f. 197v of Lisbon Mishneh Torah, volume 1. Written in Hebrew. More
Initial-word panels decorated with penwork and pen-flourishing. Image taken from f. 81v of Guide of the Perplexed (~Moreh Nevukhim~) in Samuel ibn Tibbon's translation. Written in Hebrew. The "BL Harley Manusc More
Initial-word panel with gold letters and penwork decoration, full foliate border in the margins. Image taken from f. 11v of Lisbon Mishneh Torah, volume 1. Written in Hebrew. The "BL Harley Manuscript" refers More
There are two decorated initial-word panels on this page, at the benediction of the first cup of wine. The upper one is embellished with gold foliage, the lower one is with penwork decoration. The text is surro More
Detail of a page: initial-word panel with gold letters and penwork decoration and a gold crown, at the introduction of the Mishneh Torah. Image taken from f. 13v of Lisbon Mishneh Torah, volume 1. Written in He More
Detail of a page: initial-word panel with penwork decoration, at the beginning of Ruth. Image taken from f. 223v of Pentateuch with Targum and Rashi's commentary (ff. 1-219); Five Scrolls (~Hamesh megillot~; f More
Historiated initial-word panel ~Ha lahma aniya~ (The Bread of Affliction), at the beginning of the text of the Haggadah. Beneath the initial words, a miniature depicting a family by the Seder table with the mas More
Historiated initial-word panel at the beginning of the Haggadah: ~Atan mi-pirqa~ (They are coming from the prayer gathering) surrounded by rich marginal decoration with foliate inhabited by animals and hybrids. More
Initial-word panel with penwork decoration and full border with pen-flourishing, at the beginning of Numbers. Image taken from f. 132v of Pentateuch with Targum and Rashi's commentary (ff. 1-219); Five Scrolls More
Initial-word panel with gold letters and penwork decoration, foliate full border in the margins inhabited by birds, at the beginning of ~Sefer Qedushah~. Image taken from f. 252v of Lisbon Mishneh Torah, volume More
Full-page initial-word panel surrounded by foliate scrolls and floral motifs. On top of the panel, there is a coat of arms of a golden lion, at the beginning of the translator’s introduction to the Guide of the More
Detail of a page; Historiated initial-word panel ~Ha lahma aniya~ (The Bread of Affliction), at the beginning of the text of the Haggadah. Beneath the initial words, a miniature depicting a family by the Seder More
~Carmina figurata~: Rashi's commentary in the outer margin is written in the form of a fleur-de-lis. Image taken from f. 157v of Pentateuch with Targum and Rashi's commentary (ff. 1-219); Five Scrolls (~Hamesh More
Initial-word panel with gold letters and penwork decoration, full foliate border in the margins. Image taken from f. 12 of Lisbon Mishneh Torah, volume 1. Written in Hebrew. The "BL Harley Manuscript" refers t More
Initial-word panel with gold letters and penwork decoration and a gold crown, foliate full border in the margins and between the two text column, at the introduction of the Mishneh Torah. The full border is unf More
Carmina figurata: text written in geometrical forms. The last word of text in the outer margin, Avraham, is marked. Image taken from f. 307 of Pentateuch with Targum and Rashi's commentary (ff. 1-219); Five Sc More
Detail of a page: decorated initial word ~We-elleh~ (and these) with the moon, the sun and a star, at the beginning of Exodus. Image taken from f. 57v of Pentateuch with Targum and Rashi's commentary (ff. 1-219 More
Detail of a page: initial-word panel with penwork decoration and full border with pen-flourishing, at the beginning of Numbers. Image taken from f. 132v of Pentateuch with Targum and Rashi's commentary (ff. 1-2 More
Decorated initial-word panel with gold and penwork, at the beginning of the thirteenth book, the Book of Civil Law (~Sefer Mishpatim~) with a full foliate border inhabited by birds. Image taken from f. 355v of More
Opening with decorated initial-word panels: on f. 11v, two citations from Deuteronomy (Deut. 1:5 and 4:44), on f. 12, the beginning of Maimonides' introduction to his Mishneh Torah with a full foliate border i More
Decorated initial word ~We-elleh~ (and these) with the moon, the sun and a star, at the beginning of Exodus. Image taken from f. 57v of Pentateuch with Targum and Rashi's commentary (ff. 1-219); Five Scrolls ( More
Drawing of a bird holding a hairy hybrid in its peak, at ~parashat wa-yehi~ (Gen. 47:28-50:26). Image taken from f. 58v of Pentateuch with Targum Onkelos and Rashi’s commentary (ff. 1-240v), ~Haftarot~ with Ra More
Decorated initial word ~Wa-yiqra~ (And [the Lord] called) in brown ink, at the beginning of Leviticus. Image taken from f. 126 of Commentary on the Pentateuch with the ~Haftarot~ (ff. 1-240) on the Five Scrolls More
Detail of a page: drawing of a menorah with explanatory captions. Image taken from f. 101v of Commentary on the Pentateuch with the ~Haftarot~ (ff. 1-240) on the Five Scrolls (~Hamesh megillot~; ff. 240v-270), More
Textual illustration of a menorah with explanatory captions, in brown ink. Image taken from f. 101v of Commentary on the Pentateuch with the ~Haftarot~ (ff. 1-240) on the Five Scrolls (~Hamesh megillot~; ff. 2 More
Diagram of the Holy Land. Image taken from f. 199 of Commentary on the Pentateuch with the ~Haftarot~ (ff. 1-240) on the Five Scrolls (~Hamesh megillot~; ff. 240v-270), and on the ~Haftarot~ for festivals (ff. More
Diagram of the Holy Land. Image taken from f. 198v of Commentary on the Pentateuch with the ~Haftarot~ (ff. 1-240) on the Five Scrolls (~Hamesh megillot~; ff. 240v-270), and on the ~Haftarot~ for festivals (ff More
Initial word decorated with foliate and penwork in black ink, at the beginning of a ~piyyut~ (liturgical poem) for the seventh day of Passover (for the poem, see Davidson, vol. 2, no. 239). Image taken from f. More
Detail of a page: miniature of a red heifer in the lower margin illustrating a ~piyyut~ (liturgical poem) for ~Shabbat Parah~. Caption: ‘Red heifer’. Mutilated by a later trimming. Image taken from f. 28v of Fe More
Image taken from f. 159v of Festival prayer book (~mahzor~) for the Special Shabbatot, Passover and Shavuot, Ashkenazi rite, with Books of Ruth (ff. 163v-168v) and Song of Songs (ff. 168v-172v). Written in Hebrew.
Textual illustration in the lower margin, mutilated due to trimming. A young man in prayer shawl standing at a reading desk with an open book on it. Image taken from f. 159v of Festival prayer book (~mahzor~) f More
Initial word decorated with foliate motifs and a small cauldron is hanging on a sprig, at the beginning of a ~piyyut~ (liturgical poem) for ~Shabbat ha-Gadol~ (for the poem, see Davidson, vol. 1, no. 1086). The More
Initial word decorated with foliate motifs in black ink and red, at the beginning of a ~piyyut~ (liturgical poem) for the first day of Passover (for the poem, see Davidson, vol. 1, no. 1962). Image taken from f More
Miniature of a red heifer in the lower margin illustrating a ~piyyut~ (liturgical poem) for ~Shabbat Parah~. Caption: ‘Red heifer’. Mutilated by a later trimming. Image taken from f. 28v of Festival prayer book More
Initial word decorated with foliate motifs in ink, at the beginning of a ~piyyut~ (liturgical poem) for Hanukkah (for the poem, see Davidson vol. 1, no. 1651). Image taken from f. 1v of Festival prayer book (~m More
Puzzle initial 'C' with pen-flourishing extending into the margin. Image taken from f. 2 of Geoffrey's 'Historia regum Britanniae' (index Gesta Britonum, De gestis Britonum), dedicated to Robert of Gloucester ( More
Detail: threefold miniature of a rabbinical court in the middle, a transaction involving money on the left, and an act of crime on the right. The miniature is flanked by the two initial words of the book, ~Rabb More