Golden Haggadah - 1602 Title page, folio 2.
Copyright © The British Library Board
This title page was added in Carpi, Italy, in 1602 by the first
known owner of the manuscript, Joav Gallico of Asti, who gave it
to his son-in-law as a wedding gift. The Golden Haggadah was probably
taken to Italy by Jews fleeing Spain shortly after 1492. It remained
in Italy until acquired by the British Museum in 1865 as part of
the collection of Giuseppe Almanzi.
An inscription records that the wedding between Joav Gallico's
daughter Rosa and Eliah Rava took place in Carpi, on the tenth
of Heshvan 5363 (corresponding to 25 October 1602.)
Another inscription reads 'Order of the Passover Haggadah'.
Another inscription reads 'with special poems about all the wonders
and the miracles which were performed during their coming out of
Egypt as free men'.
The title page was probably modelled on frontispiece designs in
contemporary printed books.
The Hebrew inscription is framed by an arched portal with draped
mermaids. A winged face occupies the centre of the ornamental surrounding
gable.
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