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Sometime
between the years 1299-1300, the Jewish scribe, Samuel ben Abraham ibn
Nathan, produced in Cervera, Spain, an illustrated Hebrew Bible manuscript.
This unusual manuscript, housed today in the Lisbon National Library,
bears the signature of the artist: "I, Joseph the Frenchman, illustrated
and completed this book."
What
is most unusual about the colophon[*] is that the letters
themselves are made up of floral motifs, human heads, fish, birds, dogs
and other animal heads and bodies. We present here these fantastic creature
letters, some from Joseph the Frenchman's signature, and the others
constructed in his style by our own graphic artist. They may be downloaded
in two different sizes.
example
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[*] inscription at the end
of a manuscript, giving the title, name of scribe or printer, date
and place of printing, and sometimes the type used |
FANTASTIC
CREATURES Table of Contents
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