Page - 57 - in JRFM - Journal Religion Film Media, Volume 07/01

Born under a Lucky Star | 57www.jrfm.eu 2021, 7/1, 45–65 These examples cause us to wonder whether the illustrations of the zodiac signs on the amulets had purely decorative purpose, but if not, then how the illustrations of Virgo and Sagittarius relate to the other illustrations on the amulets and the text. We might at first assume that amulets were provided with zodiac signs chosen in light of the birth month of the child. In this case, the picture would provide the text with additional information, enabling am- ulets to be used more effectively from an emic point of view. However, I know only of prints with the images of Virgo and Sagittarius, and yet it seems an un- likely coincidence for only amulets with these images to have survived. Three alternative explanatory models for the use of the illustrations are possible, I propose, and can coexist. Imitation of the Original Illustration Tradition: From Bride to Virgo The most obvious thesis is that the use of the zodiac signs can be explained by the material conditions in the Jewish printing houses. Printing blocks with zodiac signs were standard equipment of Jewish printing houses because they were used in popular printings like calendars and Maḥsor books. In addition to woodcuts of the zodiac signs, a limited number of typical illustrations can be found in the Jewish literature of that time. These include portals on the front pages of books and illustrations of Yiddish books of fables. In addition, woodcuts illustrate people performing rituals, especially in books that depict regional customs (Minhag books), where the same woodcut is often used sev- eral times to depict different customs. Besides, woodcuts often depict biblical scenes in Yiddish bible paraphrases (Tse’enah u-r’enah), history books (e. g. Sefer Josippon), as well as in instructions for Pessaḥ (Pessaḥ-Haggadot) and Es- ther scrolls (Megillat Esther).33 Thus, a suitable printing block was not acquired for each text, and instead existing woodcuts were reused in different contexts. This procedure was a common practice, not unique to Jewish printing houses, and, as Alexandra Franklin notes, should not be confused with arbitrariness or thoughtlessness: When a woodblock appears with an entirely different text, we can assume that the printer found it expedient to use his or her existing stock, but this does not mean that the use was careless, or that the image was meaning- less. What does an image illustrate – or how does it illustrate – if it is used 33 See Wiesemann 2002, 9–34.