The dedication page for Charles VI and his wife, Elizabeth Christina
Meshulam Zimmel ben Moses of Polna
1733

Creator Bio
Meshulam Zimmel ben Moses of Polna
The scribe and copper engraver Meshullam Zimmel ben Moses of Polna was active in Prague, Polna (in Bohemia), and Vienna in the early eighteenth century. He was one of the most important Jewish scribes and artists of the eighteenth century. His patrons for his work as a scribe included the wealthiest Viennese court Jews of the time, but it is likely that he needed to work as a copper engraver in order to earn a living. Most of his works were privately commissioned small prayerbooks and Haggadahs.
Related Guide
Jewish Printing and Book Culture, 1500–1750
Jewish printing unified far-flung communities by standardizing religious texts, created textual uniformity, and enabled vernacular translations, and facilitated the spread of Jewish texts and knowledge.
Related Guide
Early Modern Jewish Languages (1500–1750)
As Ashkenazi and Sephardi Jews migrated eastward, Yiddish and Ladino emerged as distinct languages. Both languages developed literary traditions, as print became more widespread.
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