Les Peintures de la Synagogue de Doura-Europos: 245-256 après J.-C.
Rome: Pontifico Istituto Biblico, 1939. First edition. Softcover. Quarto. XXIV, 190, [2]pp (text), LXIpp (plates). Original printed wrappers with publisher's logo on front cover and title page. Frontispiece. Splendid monograph on the paintings of the Dura-Europos synagogue, an ancient synagogue uncovered at Dura-Europos, Syria, in 1932. The last phase of construction was dated by an Aramaic inscription to 244 CE, making it one of the oldest synagogues in the world. It is unique among the many ancient synagogues that have emerged from archaeological digs as it was preserved virtually intact, along with its extensive figurative wall-paintings. The synagogue contains a forecourt and house of assembly with painted walls depicting people and animals, and a Torah shrine in the western wall facing Jerusalem. The paintings cover the walls of the main "assembly room," using three levels of pictures over a dado frieze of symbols in most places, reaching a height of about 23 feet. The scenes depicted are drawn from the Hebrew Bible and include many narrative scenes, and some single figure "portraits" - 58 scenes in total, probably representing about 60% of the original number. They include the Sacrifice of Isaac and other Genesis stories, Moses receiving the Tablets of the Law, Moses leading the Hebrews out of Egypt, the visions of Ezekiel, and many others. These frescoes and more are reproduced in 61 b/w photographic plates and 114 in-text figs. Spine sunned and partly creased. Minor foxing along edges of wrappers. Upper front corner bumped, thus affecting pages throughout. Sporadic foxing and age-toning. Plates section detached from book block. Text in French. Wrappers and interior in overall fair to good- condition. fair. Item #34500
Price: $275.00