Passover Haggadah from Darmstadt – 1733

The Moravian scholar, illuminator, scribe, and publisher Joseph ben David of Leipnik was one of the most prolific and successful artists who satisfied the great demand for handmade Haggadot that arose in the 18th century. He produced some of the most beautiful works of this golden age of Jewish manuscript culture, which was encouraged by the social advancement of many Jewish families in Europe. As an itinerant book artist, he traveled throughout much of the continent and created this wonderful Ashkenazi Haggadah in 1733 during his residence in Darmstadt. The texts for the Seder are accompanied by vivid miniatures, tradition-consciously based on the famous Amsterdam Haggadah of 1695 and 1712. In the 20th century, the artistic manuscript came into the possession of the Jewish merchant Sigmund Nauheim (1874–1935), who bequeathed his considerable Judaica collection to the Museum of Jewish Antiquities in Frankfurt am Main. However, most of these treasures were looted and abducted by the Nazis during the November pogroms of 1938. After the end of the war, some of these art treasures were able to be traced. The Passover Haggadah from Darmstadt – 1733 was subsequently transferred to the Jewish National and University Library in Jerusalem in 1951.