Rembrandt's Hebrew Script

Some art historians consider Rembrandt as the greatest Bible artist of all times and many studies have been written on his innovative and personal view of the biblical stories and heroes. One central aspect in these works that remains a puzzle to scholars is if and how was the artist’s religious art influenced by his encounter with the vibrant Jewish community of Amsterdam. Despite recent attempts to “demystify” the association of Rembrandt with the Jews of his time, his fine work during the height of his career in the heart of Amsterdam’s Jewish quarter left indelible marks on his art. This feature can be most strongly demonstrated, as we will explore in the lecture, through his sophisticated usage of Hebrew phrases in some of his most famous biblical paintings.