A number of Jewish illuminated manuscripts include representational art and illustrations, with many containing religious or biblical undertones, while others focus on law, philosophy, science, or society-based (such as ketubbot, marriage contracts) ideas. These manuscripts spanned a wide geographical array, including Europe, Northern Africa, and the East.

Figures such as Joel ben Simeon became known for their work.

Archival records from medieval Iberia confirm that Jews were painters and practitioners of the fine arts. A number of works survive.

Bibles/Tanakhim Alba Bible Al-Ousta Codex Kennicott Bible Schocken Bible

Regensburg Pentateuch Parma Psalter Rothschild Pentateuch Ambrosian Tanakh Lisbon Bible Sanaa Pentateuch Xanten Bible

Haggadot Barcelona Haggadah Golden Haggadah Washington Haggadah Sarajevo Haggadah Ashkenazi Haggadah Hispano-Moresque Haggadah Graziano Haggadah Birds' Head Haggadah Kaufmann Haggadah Sassoon Haggadah Sister Haggadah Prague Haggadah Rylands Haggadah 1739 Joseph ben David Haggadah Rothschild Haggadah Hamburg Haggadah

Mahzorim and Siddurim Esslingen Mahzor Hammelburg Mahzor Leipzig Mahzor Worms Mahzor Montefiore Mainz Mahzor Rothschild Mahzor Tripartite Mahzor Furth Siddur Amsterdam Mahzor Catalan Mahzor Forli Siddur Levy Mahzor Michael Mahzor Hamilton Siddur

Chronicles, miscellany, and other works Chroniques de la Bible North French Hebrew Miscellany Rothschild Miscellany Works of Maimonides, such as Guide to the Perplexed Guide for the Perplexed by Ferrer Bassa 1348 Kaufmann Mishneh Torah 1457 - ca. 1465 Mishneh Torah

Megillot (ie, Book of Esther or scrolls of Esther) Ferrara book of Esther

Other manuscripts by region

Spain

Torah (Five Books of Moses), 14th century https://www.imj.org.il/en/wings/jewish-art-and-life/illuminating-script Haggadah, 1401-1520, "Haye ha-nefesh," 1465,

Iran (Persian Jews, aka Iranian Jews)

Ketubah, Sanandaj (Iranian Kurdistan), 1903, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=45037 Ketubbah, 1902, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=48992 Ketubah, Mashhad, 1894, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=45036 Shiviti, Iran, 1891, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=48467 1875, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=53564 Prayer Book, 1860, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=53723 "Shiviti," 1854/55, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=49257 Haftarot (Shmuel ben Azaria), 1828, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=53776 Ketubah, Isfahan, 1763, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=45782 circa beginning of 12th century, https://mss.huc.edu/portfolio/ms-1/ https://smarthistory.org/the-ardashirnama-judeo-persian-manuscript/ https://www.irannamag.com/en/article/4598/ https://www.liverpooluniversitypress.co.uk/doi/10.3828/aj.2021.17.7 https://blogs.bl.uk/asian-and-african/2018/11/the-judeo-persian-manuscript-collection-in-the-british-library.html

Iraq

Kurdistan, 1911, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=53523 "Minchah ve-'Aravit shel Shabbat," 1886, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=53495 Baghdad, 1881/82, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=53505 "Seder 'Aravit le-Pesach, Shir ha-Shirim," 1854, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=53506 https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=alone&id=578109 Judeo-Arabic Kabbalistic manuscript https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=32976 https://blogs.library.columbia.edu/jewishstudiesatcul/2025/02/20/manuscripts-of-the-yemenite-jewish-experience/ Jewish purple-inked bound mini-books from Iraqi-Kurdistan https://cja.huji.ac.il/browser.php?mode=set&id=53679

Morocco

"ha-Notein Imri Shefer," 1930, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=53682 "Pizmonim," 1900, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=53671 "Tzahir shel Pesach," 1900, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=53694 "Chochmat ha-Yad," 1889, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=56197 (illustrated in blue ink) "Chamesh Megillot," Kurdistan, 1880, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=53519 Ketubbah, Tetuan, 1879, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=48905 "Tzahir shel Pesach," 1875, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=53714 Ketubbah, Rabat, 1863, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=48911 "Sefer Hillulah Rabah," Tangier (Tanger), 1859, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=53676 Meknes Ketubbah, 1855, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=45774 Book of Amulets (Pesach), Fez, 1800, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=53680 "Shi'ur Komah," 1789, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=53664 "Chaim ben Yosef Vital, Otzerot Chaim," Marrakech (Marrakesh), 1751/52, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=53567

Afghanistan

Shiviti, 1930s, https://cja.huji.ac.il/browser.php?mode=set&id=48570 Ketubbah (marriage contract), 1899, https://cja.huji.ac.il/browser.php?mode=set&id=7205 Ketubbah Herat," 1894, https://cja.huji.ac.il/browser.php?mode=set&id=18879 Ketubbah, 1891, https://cja.huji.ac.il/browser.php?mode=set&id=18880 Ketubah, Herat, 1861, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=45038

Yemen

Dream Interpretation, 1919, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=53782 1850, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=53808 (painted, red and black colors) "Shimushei Sarim," 1875, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=53791 Ketubbah, 1836, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=45773 "Yitzhak Aboab, Menorat ha-Meor," Yemen, 1826/27, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=53736 "Yamim Noraim," circa 1825 https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=53781 "Yitzhak Aboab, Menorat ha-Meor," 1745, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=53786 (brown and black colors) Ketubah, San'a (Sana'a), 1735, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=45772 Jewish Bible, 1600s, https://mss.huc.edu/portfolio/ms-666/ "Chamishah Chumshei Torah," circa 1500, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=53783 (red, black, and browns) "Netanel Ben Yishaya, Midrash Nur Eltzalem," before 1500, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=53784

Israel

"Yit'aleh Ha-Meitiv Ve-ha-Mashpi'ah Ha-Chesed," 1960, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=50053 "Ets Haim, Tree of Jewish Kings and prophets," Herzliya, 1937, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=52751 "Ze'ev Raban Esther," Jerusalem, 1928, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=53836 "Ha-Yoshevet be-Ganim Chaverim Makshivim le-Kolcha Hashmi'eini," 1925, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=50052 Scroll of Ruth, Jerusalem, 1925, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=49777 Ketubbah, Nablus (Shechem), 1917, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=48865 Shiviti, Jerusalem, circa 1910, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=48468 "Sar Shalom ben Yitzhak Mizrachi Didya Shar'abi, Siddur Kavanot Ha-Rashash," Jerusalem, 1907, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=alone&id=574450 "Sefer Zikaron," Safed, 1903, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=53472 (purple, golds, browns) Samaritan Illustration, Nablus (Shechem), circa 1900, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=49973 "Prayer for Rosh Chodesh," Jerusalem, circa 1900, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=49807 "Sar Shalom ben Yitzhak Mizrachi Didya Shar'abi, Siddur ha-Rashash," Jerusalem, circa 1900, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=53441 "Pitom ha-Ketoret," 1900, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=53475 Ketubbah, Jerusalem, 1896, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=48914 New Year (Rosh Hashanah) greetings, Jerusalem, 1888, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=52750 Ketubbah, Jerusalem, 1879, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=48870 1875, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=49758 "Shiviti," 1875, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=49370 Chanukah Blessings, circa 1875, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=50011 Ketubah, Jerusalem, 1874, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=45035 "Piyuttim," 1850, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=53427 "Eretz Israel," 1800, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=53445 "Avraham ben Baruch Mizrachi, Zikaron le-Benei Yisrael," Gaza, 1700, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=53692 12th or 13th century, https://mss.huc.edu/portfolio/ms-8/ Samaritan Bible, 1232, https://www.nypl.org/events/exhibitions/galleries/beauty-and-history-collections-oldest-manuscripts/item/16396

Turkey

Seder Tefilot Yesarot u-Barot, Istanbul (Constantinople), 1734, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=53727

Greece

Yehudah ben Amram Diwan, Thessaloniki (Salonika), 1825, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=53715 Ha-Sefer shel Pizmonim, Rhodes, 1872, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=53716 (blue and black ink) Ketubbah, Corfu, 1830, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=48906

France

Ketubbah, Bordeaux, 1748, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=48901 Mahzor (Prayer Book for the Holy Days), copied by Hayyim ben Isaac, 13th/14th centuries, https://braginskycollection.com/manuscripts-and-printed-books/

Italy

"Piyutim le-Simchat Torah," 1825, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=53510 Ketubbah, Pomponesco, 1820, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=50638 "Tefilot Neged Magefah," 1800, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=53659 "Zeh ha-Sefer shel Shnei Ketubot shel Shavuot," Ancona, 1800, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=53516 Micrography, Italy, circa 1800, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=49753 "Shiviti," circa 1775, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=49246 1761, https://mss.huc.edu/portfolio/esther-scroll-vi-7/ "Invitation for Chatan Torah," Pesaro, 1723, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=50049 Get (divorce contract), Mantua, 1699, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=45740 Ketubbah, Senigallia, circa 1675, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=48900 Ketubbah (Marriage contract), Rome, 1638, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=48994 GFC Moshe ben Avraham Pescarolo Esther Scroll, Ferrara, 1610s, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=35193 Esther Scroll, Rome, 1570-1572, https://mss.huc.edu/portfolio/esther-scroll-ix-6/ Minhag Roma (The Roman Rite), circa 1500, https://braginskycollection.com/manuscripts-and-printed-books/ Jewish Bible, Rome, 1401, https://mss.huc.edu/portfolio/ms-acc-167/

India

"Likutei Dinim," 1940, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=53493 (red and black lettering) Ketubah, Kolkata (Calcutta), 1924, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=45795 Ketubah, 1910, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=45820 Ketubbah, Calcutta, 1866, https://www.nypl.org/events/exhibitions/galleries/jewish-traditions-around-world "Zevach Todah," Cochin, 1799, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=alone&id=576824 (brown, black, yellow, blue, and green colors) Ketubah, Kochi (Cochin), 1790, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=45778

Lithuania

Ketubbah, Trakai (Troki), 1762, https://cja.huji.ac.il/gross/browser.php?mode=set&id=48903

Egypt