Micrographic Shiviti, Scribe: Daniel Stern [Hungary]: 1865

1 manuscript broadsheet (24 1/2 x 19 1/4 in.; 625 x 490 mm). Ink and gouache on paper. Crease at central fold; marginal tears expertly repaired, some staining and soiling.

Micrography, the scribal practice of employing minuscule script to create abstract shapes or figurative designs, is an art form that has been used by Jews for over a millennium. This intricate decorative technique was first practiced in Egypt and the Land of Israel in the 10th century. In the centuries following the advent of printing, micrography continued to be used to decorate ketubbot and wall hangings.

This  magnificent micrographic shiviti, derives its name from the Hebrew verse inscribed in the center of the plaque: Shiviti ha-Shem le-Negdi Tamid ("I have set the Lord before me always," Psalms 16:8).   Plaques such as these were hung in synagogues and Jewish homes to serve as a constant reminder of God's presence. This shiviti was created by the artist Daniel Stern and presented as a charitable donation by Joshua Ohoeli and his wife Pearl, to the Sacred Society “Talmud Torah,” on Rosh Hodesh Adar, 5625 (Feb 15, 1865). The patron's name is taken from his native city of Ujhely, known in Hungarian as Sátoraljaújhely and at one time, home to Hungary's second-largest Jewish community. Flanking the hand-colored menorah at the center of the plaque are blessings to be recited before and after the Torah reading. The large text surrounding the entire shiviti calls for the avoidance of sin and urges repentance, while the micrography which fills the plaque comprises the complete texts of the five Megillot: Ecclessiastes, Song of Songs, Ruth, Esther, and Lamentations.