Distinguished Lecture Series
Shalom Sabar
Rembrandt and the Jews
September 6, 2018

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Dr. Sabar is an art historian at Hebrew University, and he is a widely known lecturer on Judaica, Jews in art history, and Jews their host societies in Christian Europe and the Muslim Middle East.
Some art historians consider Rembrandt the greatest biblical artist of all times and many studies have been written on his innovative and personal view of the biblical stories and heroes. In modern times Jews have been fascinated by Rembrandt’s thoughtful interpretation of the dramatic events in biblical history, such as his several renderings of the binding of Isaac or his famous portrayal of Belshazzar’s feast and the mysterious writing on the wall.
How was Rembrandt’s religious art influenced by his encounter with the vibrant Jewish community of Amsterdam, comprised of Portuguese Marranos who returned to Judaism in Holland and Ashkenazim, driven from other countries by persecution? His fine work during the height of his career in the heart of Amsterdam’s Jewish quarter left indelible marks on his art. His sophisticated usage of Hebrew phrases in some of his most famous biblical paintings reflects his knowledge of Jewish life. Rembrandt created his best works inspired by Jewish traditions in the Bible and the Jewish life surrounding him in Amsterdam.

Click for more information on the Distinguished Lecturers
- Shalom Sabar - Alma Gottlieb - Steven Ovitsky - Eugene Garver
- Misha Klein - Halley Faust - Alan Levenson - Deborah Lipstadt
- Zion Evrony - Tomer Persico - Avinoam Patt

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The Santa Fe Distinguished Lecture Series is a program of the Institute for Tolerance Studies, which is a beneficiary organization of the Jewish Federation of New Mexico.