ISRAEL MUSEUM COMPLETES RESTORATION ON 15th CENTURY HEBREW MANUSCRIPT

EXPERTS AT ISRAEL'S NATIONAL MUSEUM HAVE COMPLETED THE RESTORATION OF A 15th CENTURY HEBREW MANUSCRIPT WITH EXQUISITE ILLUSTRATIONS MADE BY MASTER ITALIAN ARTISANS, OFFICIALS SAD THURSDAY. THE RENAISSANCE MASTERPIECE IS A COPY OF THE MISHNEH TORAH, AN IMPORTANT WORK OF JEWISH LAW WRITTEN THREE CENTURIES EARLIER BY THE MEDIEVAL PHILOSOPHER AND RABBI MAIMONIDES. THE MANUSCRIPT, WRITTEN ON ANIMAL SKIN, DISCUSSES LAWS GOVERNING PROPERTY, RITUAL PURITY AND AGRICULTURE. IT INCLUDES HEBREW WORDS IN GOLD LEAF AND MINIATURE FIGURES IN COLOURFUL DRESS AGAINST BRILLIANT SKIES OF BLUE SHADE MADE FROM LAPIS LAZULI STONES. IT TOOK A YEAR FOR A TEAM AT THE ISRAEL MUSEUM IN JERUSALEM TO REPAIR THE MANUSCRIPT AND PREPARE IT FOR DISPLAY, CURATOR ANNA NIZZA SAID. THE MUSEUM HAS HALF OF THE ORIGINAL BOOK, WHICH WAS DIVIDED INTO TWO PARTS IN THE 19th CENTURY. THE OTHER HALF IS OWNED BY THE VATICAN LIBRARY. THE MANUSCRIPT DISPLAYED TO REPORTERS AT A RECENT PRESS CONFERENCE WAS CREATED IN ITALY JUST AS THE ERA OF GREAT ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPTS WAS DRAWING TO A CLOSE AND THE ART OF BOOKMAKING IN EUROPE WAS BEING PERMANENTLY ALTERED BY THE ADVENT OF THE PRINTING PRESS. A US COUPLE BOUGHT THE WORK FROM A FAMILY IN FRANKFURT, GERMANY, FOR AN UNDISCLOSED AMOUNT IN 2007 AND HAS LENT IT TO THE MUSEUM. IT IS SLATED TO GO ON DISPLAY IN JULY.