Leaving Egypt

The story of the Israelites' exodus from Egypt told through illuminated manuscripts from the Museum's collections – mostly Passover Haggadot – dating from the 13th to the 18th centuries. Except for one manuscript originating from Iran, all were produced in Europe. Displaying a variety styles, the illustrations reflect the period in which they were made, at times drawing a parallel between the Israelites' bondage in Egypt and the contemporary reality of the artists who created them.M?s? N?ma (The Book of Moses) by Mulana Sh?h?n ShirazTabriz, Persia, 1686 Handwritten on paper; black ink, tempera, and gold powder Purchased through the gift of F.M. Mayer, New York, and the Heinrich Feuchtwanger Fund, in memory of Dr. H. Feuchtwanger Photo © The Israel Museum, Jerusalem The Sassoon Haggadah Spain or Southern France, ca. 1320 Handwritten on parchment; brown ink, tempera, gold and silver leaf Purchased by the State of Israel through an anonymous donor, London Photo © The Israel Museum, Jerusalem, by Ardon Bar-Hama