Search 
Rembrandt and the Jews
The following description was submitted by the event organizer.
The relationship Rembrandt had with the Jews of Amsterdam reveals a remarkable story. Most Amsterdam Jews were Sephardic – refugees from the Inquisition in Spain and Portugal. For generations, these Jews had been forced to deny their religious legacy, but in Amsterdam, they were free to reclaim traditions and return to their Judaism. Rembrandt lived in Amsterdam’s prosperous Jewish neighborhood. In his interpretation of Protestant Old Testament narratives, he consulted Jewish theologians for a nuanced perspective of these familiar subjects. He also painted and etched portraits of prominent Jews.
The exhibition will include 22 etchings by Rembrandt and one drawing by Pieter Lastman. The exhibition has been organized by the Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art and will be accompanied by Memories of Amsterdam and paintings by Henk Pander.