{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1364152"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1364152/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2011EM6211/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2011EM6211/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2011EM6211","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2011EM6391","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AE8846","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AE8844","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AE8845","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AE8848","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AE8849","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2011EM6505","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2011EM6507","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2011EM6509","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2011EM6519","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2011EM6520","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2011EM6526","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2011EM6527","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2011EM6623","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2011EN5001","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017JX1665","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017JX1666","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O1364152/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1364152","accessionNumber":"MSL/1879/36","objectType":"Manuscript","titles":[{"title":"Megillah Ester","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"A Megillah is a book of the Hebrew scriptures appointed to be read on certain  Jewish notable days. The word is especially likely to be used in reference to The Book of Esther which is read at the Jewish festival of Purim which commemorates the saving of the Jewish people by Esther and her cousin Mordecai. The Megillah is read twice in the course of the festival: on the eve of Purim, and during Purim day. It is read in the original Hebrew from a parchment scroll.\r\nThis exceptional example was written by - and made for - Michael Judah Leon, scribe to the Sephardi community in Amsterdam, who dated his transcription to 1643. It was then hand-illustrated with sepia drawings by draughtsman and engraver Salom Italia who came from a family of Hebrew printers in Mantua. Forced to flee after the Jewish population was expelled in 1630, he arrived in Amsterdam via Venice in 1644. \n[above information partly drawn from Pride &amp; Persecution. Jan Steen's Old Testament Scenes, by Robert Wenley, Nina Cahill and Rosalie van Gulick. 2017]","physicalDescription":"1 roll (6 sheets) of parchment on a silver-gilt roller. Text written in square letters, arranged in 18 columns of script. Decorated with ink drawings of Esther and Mordecai, and borders of foliage and figures interspersed with cartouches containing land and seascapes and scenes from Esther.","artistMakerPerson":[],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"parchment","id":"AAT11851"},{"text":"pen and ink","id":"x30618"},{"text":"silver","id":"AAT11029"},{"text":"silk (textile)","id":"AAT243428"}],"techniques":[{"text":"calligraphy","id":"AAT53162"},{"text":"drawing","id":"x32498"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"","categories":[{"text":"Manuscripts","id":"THES48922"},{"text":"Judaism","id":"THES48929"},{"text":"Religion","id":"THES48900"},{"text":"National Art Library","id":"THES271541"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"NAL","id":"THES48605"},"images":["2011EM6211","2011EM6391","2006AE8846","2006AE8844","2006AE8845","2006AE8848","2006AE8849","2011EM6505","2011EM6507","2011EM6509","2011EM6519","2011EM6520","2011EM6526","2011EM6527","2011EM6623","2011EN5001","2017JX1665","2017JX1666"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"NAL","id":"THES251738"},"free":"","case":"CMS7","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"book","id":"AAT28051"}],[{"text":"scroll","id":"AAT28629"}],[{"text":"manuscript","id":"AAT28569"}],[{"text":"scroll","id":"AAT28629"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"No","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Amsterdam","id":"x28722"},"association":{"text":"written","id":"AAT54698"},"note":"One cartouche contains inscription translated as: Michael Yehuda,  letter-cutter[?], in the year [5]403 to the creation."}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1643","earliest":"1643-01-01","latest":"1643-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"29","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"parchment unrolled","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"407","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"parchment unrolled","note":"Taken from the NAL catalogue"}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Written by and made for Michael Judah Leon, scribe to the Sephardi community in Amsterdam, dated 1643. \r\nPurchased for £40 from Messrs Elkington & Co., Birmingham, in November 1879 (as 'Spanish or Portuguese?'). ","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Manuscript roll, 'Megillah Ester' (The Scroll of Esther), Amsterdam, 1643.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"Michael E. Keen <u>Jewish ritual art in the Victoria and Albert Museum</u> London: HMSO, 1991.","id":"AUTH385898"},"details":"p. 51.","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Robert Wenley, Nina Cahill, Rosalie van Gulick, Pride & persecution: Jan Steen's Old Testament scenes, London: Paul Holberton Publishing, 2017, no. 12."}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[{"text":"Esther","id":"N588"},{"text":"Mordecai","id":"N7514"}],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["38041800159691"],"accessionNumberNum":"38041800159691","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":null,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"NAL barcode","id":"THES50330"},"number":"38041800159691"},{"type":{"text":"Previous number","id":"THES51695"},"number":"36-1879"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-03-26","recordCreationDate":"2016-08-19","availableToBook":false}}