É. Apor (ed.): David Kaufmann Memorial Volume: Papers Presented at the David Kaufmann Memorial Conference, November 29, 1999, Budapest.
ORMOS, István: David Kaufmann and his Collection
DAVID KAUFMANN AND HIS COLLECTION There is another characteristic feature in this illumination suggesting that the artist was Christian. Originally he portrayed Moses with two horns, which a later hand attempted to obliterate from the manuscript: the traces of scraping are still visible on the parchment, while one of the horns has been transformed into a tuft of Moses' hair. Moses' representation with homs, which is based Jerome's Latin translation of the relevant passages (Ex 34:29, 35) in the Vulgate, was characteristic of mediaeval Christian art in Western Europe. 9 4 Contrary to a widely accepted view, this translation is not necessarily based on a misunderstanding of the text: the passages in question are Ex 34:29, 35, where in the Hebrew original the verb qäran occurs. Only here has this denominative verb (from qeren "horn"; in a metaphorical sense also: "something horn-like," e.g. "rays") the singular meaning "shone, was radiant," which traditional interpretation - e.g., the influential Jewish exegete Rashi, who lived in France in the 11th century - deduces from the context. The Vulgate based its interpretation on the basic meaning of the verb: "to be horned." This rendering can also be found in Aquila's Greek translation. 9 5 The Septuagint renders the expression in question with doxazo = "magnify, extol"; cf. doxa = "glory, splendour, magnificence." 9 6 Thus the rendering of the Septuagint should be translated something like this: "Moses did not know that the sight of the skin of his face was magnificent/in splendour." Since the reference to horns does not occur in this place in the Septuagint, Moses is not portrayed with horns in Eastern Christian art. While in our modern times horns usually have negative connotations, in the ancient world they were one of the most common attributes of the gods, which symbolized honour, divinity, strength, kingship and honour. It has also been argued that Moses in fact wore a "sacred mask decorated with horns" during his conversation with God, a phenomenon which is not without parallells in the ancient world. On the other hand, while the original meaning of the 9 4 COHEN 1986. 28-29. Cf. Ruth MF.LLINK.OFF, The Horned Moses in Medieval Art and Thought. (Berkeley - Los Angeles - London 1970. Reprint:) Eugene 1998. Lexikon der christlichen Ikonographie. Hrsg. v. Engelbert Kirschbaum. Rome-Freiburg-Basle-Vienna 1968-1976. III. 286. See e.g. the Spanish Haggadah in the British Library (Or. 1404; fol. I4V). MÜLLER - VON SCHLOSSER, Bilderhaggaden 1898. 105, Tafel IV 2. MHLLINKOFF 1998. 1-9, 13-21, 76-80 and passim. 9 5 Wilhelm GESENIUS, Hebräisches und aramäisches Handwörterbuch über das Alte Testament. Neudruck der 17. Aufl. Berlin 1959. 729. Eduard KÖNIG, Hebräisches und aramäisches Wörterbuch zum Alten Testament. 2. u. 3. Aufl. Leipzig 1922. 420b. Das zweite Buch Mose. Exodus. Übersetzt und erklärt von Martin Nolh. 2. Auflage. [Das Alte Testament Deutsch. Neues Göttinger Bibelwerk. Teilband 5.] Göttingen 1961. 214 [34:29-35], 220 [ad 34:29-35]. Ludwig KOEHLER - Walter BAUMGARTNER, Hebräisches und aramäisches Lexikon zum Alten Testament. Dritte Auflage. Leiden 1967-1995. 1067b. 9 6 Henry George LIDDELL Robert SCOTT, A Greek-English Lexicon. Ninth ed. With a Supplement 1968. Oxford 1985. 444b [doxazo 11; doxa IV], 147
