Abstract
This paper analyses a micrography in a 1304 Ashkenazi Hebrew biblical manuscript housed at the Bibliothèque Nationale de France (BnF), depicting four figures holding an object. The manuscript’s noteworthy feature is that it is entirely adorned with micrography, and the text and images are intricately intertwined. Thus, any attempt to understand the Masoretic text necessitates an examination of the micrography decoration. While previous research has primarily focused on cataloguing and describing the manuscript, little has been done to explore its artistic and textual design. Therefore, this paper aims to fill this gap by delving into the significance of the iconography of these four figures, and discussing the possible meaning of this decorative element for the manuscript’s patron. We argue that these figures are associated with the practice of catoptromancy, which was prevalent among Jews and Christians during the Middle Ages. This micrography serves as a visual critique of the false prophets and magicians discussed in the book of Jeremiah.
| Translated title of the contribution | 'Therefore Hearken Not Ye to Your Prophets, Nor to Your Diviners': Catoptromancy in Paris, BnF heb 9 |
|---|---|
| Original language | Hebrew |
| Pages (from-to) | 1-20 |
| Journal | מדעי היהדות |
| Volume | 59 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| State | Published - 2024 |