Esther Imagined: The Art and History of Decorated Megillot

The highly dramatic and complex story of Purim lends itself to artistic representation. Elka Deitsch, senior curator of the Herbert & Eileen Bernard Museum of Judaica will present a lecture on the history of decorated Esther scrolls. An essential part of the Purim celebration, Esther scrolls were often elaborately illustrated and decorated from the 17th century onward. We will be looking at examples from Italy, the Netherlands, Moravia, Bohemia and Germany, as well as later examples from North Africa, Iraq and Iran.