Sword and Buckler in Hebrew Letters: Traces of Early Illuminated German Fight Books in Jewish Manuscripts

Professor Sara Offenberg, (Department of the Arts, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev), discusses illustrations of Hebrew manuscripts influenced by German fencing manuals. A closer look reveals that the figures themselves are formed by Hebrew phrases, with the letters embedded in the very lines that comprise the illustration – a form of art known as micrograph. In this remarkable online lecture, Professor Offenberg discusses how these illustrators were influenced by medieval Germanic fight manuals, and what this new perspective can tell us about the original source.

For more information about Professor Offenberg and her work, please visit her homepage.

Professor Offenberg has also written a book about the reflection of esoteric ideas in Hebrew illuminated manuscripts from the thirteenth to the fifteenth century in Ashkenaz (German lands), with a focus on images of knights and Ezekiel's vision of the Divine Chariot. You can purchase the book here.

Hosted By The National Library of Israel, Presented by Professor Sara Offenberg, (Department of the Arts, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev)

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