Genealogy of the Patriarchs (Yichus ha-Avot)

16th century

Not on view

Returned to lender

This work of art was on loan to the museum and has since been returned to its lender.

Meant to be hung on a wall, this scroll commemorates sites in the Holy Land long sacred to Jewish pilgrims. Here, the holy cities of Hebron, Tiberias, and Safed are included among other stops en route to Jerusalem, which appears about one-third down the scroll. The Temple platform is marked by two domes connected by lamp-filled arcades. The domes represent the Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock, here surprisingly labeled as Solomon’s Study and the Temple. The Gates of Mercy and the Mount of Olives, significant stopping points on any Jewish pilgrimage, also appear. Other features include the city’s triple market and the synagogue established by the Spanish rabbi Nachmanides (1194–1270).

Artwork Details

Overview

Exhibition History

Title: Genealogy of the Patriarchs (Yichus ha-Avot)
Date: 16th century
Geography: Made in probably Jerusalem
Medium: Tempera and ink on parchment
Dimensions: 55 1/8 × 4 7/8 in. (140 × 12.4 cm)
Classification: Manuscripts and Illuminations
Credit Line: The National Library of Israel, Jerusalem (MS. Heb. 8°1187)
Curatorial Department: Medieval Art and The Cloisters