Giuseppe Vigevano. Nisayon Ktav Lashon HaKodesh - Saggio di Caratteri Ebraici. [“Student’s Guide to Hebrew Calligraphy.”]

(JEWISH ART).

(Anania Coen)

Mantua

1824

Twelve full-page elaborate copper engravings by F. Pirani displaying examples of Hebrew fonts. Text in Italian and Hebrew.

First study on Hebrew calligraphy. Beautifully produced. The plates here begin with the radicals and progress through rabbinic, scriptural and cursive texts; with alphabet and sample for each on separate plates, finishing with plates devoted to punctuation, numbers, the names of the months, and a final tour-de-force. The plates throughout are executed with great variation of tone provided by shading. Each is surrounded by flourishes and many includes symbolic animals. A text-based section “Theory” was issued separately. For another copy sold at auction, see Sotheby’s, Judaica, 4th December, 2014, lot 95.