DAY SESSION
Wednesdays, 1:00 – 2:30 PM
April 25
May 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
In numerous paintings, etchings and drawings, Rembrandt, the 17th-century Dutch master, rendered a broad range of biblical scenes. Beyond being intimate and inspiring, his depictions of Abraham, Moses, Jacob, Joseph, Samson, David, Daniel and Tobit offer profound theological insight:Thanks to the artist’s knowledge of the text, he could transform familiar biblical episodes into fresh, inventive Midrash-like commentary. In this course, we’ll analyze Rembrandt’s biblical corpus with an eye toward his relationship with the Jews of Amsterdam, with whom he cultivated a seeming bond that earned him the nickname the “Jewish Rembrandt.” We’ll consider whether the notion of his Jewish sympathies
is historically accurate, or an aspirational, romanticized myth.