Historia de Gli Riti Hebraici. [History of the Hebrew Rites]

MODENA, JUDAH ARYEH (LEONE) DE

Giovanni Calleoni

Venice

1638

Second edition. Title within engraved architectural border incorporating roundelle portrait of the Author. Latin introduction; Italian text

Fürst, II, p. 384; EJ, Vol. XII, col. 204

The first publication written by a Jew in modern times outlining the practices of Judaism for a Gentile readership. Published at the request of Sir Henry Wotton, English Ambassador to Venice, for presentation to King James I. First published in Paris in 1637, the book enjoyed great popularitry, eventually going through French, Dutch, German, English, Latin and—Hebrew translations! See C. Roth, Leone da Modena and England in: Studies in Books and Booklore (1972) pp. 203-4. The portrait of Modena on the title page is one of the earliest portraits of a Jew. (See Rubens 1729)