A Haggadah is the script for the seder ritual on the first nights of Passover. The word means “telling,” and the seder is a ritual for the telling of the Passover story—the Exodus from Egypt—in a particular rabbinic fashion. 

This Haggadah, produced in Italy by the scribe and artist Joel ben Simeon in 1454, is an exceptional sample of a decorated Haggadah manuscript. Its fine decorations and illustrations are a testament to the wealth of its patron and his concern for beautifying the tradition.  

On these pages are instructions for the Passover meal. It is easy to imagine that such instructions, matter-of-fact and specific as they are, would be presented in simple, unadorned text. But this would not be good enough for Joel ben Simeon, who instead created engaging decorative frames, with castle towers at the top, unknown individuals just below the towers, and a variety of strong animals supporting the construction from below. The decoration is unrelated to the instructions; it is merely a display of artistic prowess.