Ke’arath Keseph
AUCTION 51 |
Thursday, June 23rd,
2011 at 1:00
Fine Judaica: Printed Books, Manuscripts Graphic & Ceremonial Art Including: The Alfonso Cassuto Collection of Iberian Books, Part II
Lot 46
EZOBI, JOSEPH
Ke’arath Keseph
Amsterdam: 1814
Est: $800 - $1,200
PRICE REALIZED $700
The Author, a 13th-century Jewish poet, a native of Aragon, composed this ethical exhortation for his son upon his wedding. "He who desires to understand the culture and world view of an enlightened Jew of the thirteenth century stands to gain much by reading Ke’arat Kesef.” See Hayyim Schirmann, Hebrew Poetry in Spain and Provence, Book II, Vol. I, p. 343). “How close the flavor of Christian poets in the sixteenth century is to the flavor of the Jews, may be seen from the two Latin translations of Ke’arat Kesef made by two humanists famous in their generation: the German Johann Reuchlin, who referred to Ezobi as ‘the best of the Jewish poets,’ and John Mercier” (ibid.).
See EJ, Vol. VI, col. 1104