Hanukkah begins tonight, in honor of which here are a couple of wonderful wood block prints from an eighteenth century book of customs. As far as I can make out from confusing citations, these wood block prints are from the same book, printed in Amsterdam in Hebrew and/or Yiddish and Spanish. First, a man lighting a truly epic Hanukkah menorah. I certainly don’t know anyone with a menorah this big in their home! Interestingly, this one seems to have only the eight daily lights, not a ninth “servant” light, but the man is using his spills or candles double-fisted, apparently for maximum menorah-lighting speed and power. I like the way the checkerboard floor pattern sets the stage and gives some perspective and interest to the scene.
Secondly, a very handsome illustration of a man blowing a shofar. We have the same checkered floor and diamond-paned windows, which give some nice texture to the scene. This time we have a small crowd of other people, and what looks like an open book. The text or musical notation in the book is carved as simple zig-zagged lines. Generally speaking, these wood block prints would be considered pretty crude, but I think they have an appealing vigor, and the first man in the crowd, behind the shofar-blower, has a quite nicely detailed face.
For those who celebrate Hanukkah, may it be a happy one!
[Pictures:
Man lighting a Hanukkah menorah, wood block print from
Sefer HaMinhagim, 1768 (Image from
LiveAuctioneers);
2 comments:
Is it possible that the apparent Spanish is really Ladino, the Spanish-influenced equivalent to the German-influenced Yiddish?
I don't know enough Spanish, and not any Ladino, to be able to answer, but what an interesting possibility.
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