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Why Queen Esther was the star in the age of Rembrandt's Amsterdam

JL;DR SUMMARY In the 17th century Netherlands, Queen Esther's story resonated strongly, serving as a cultural bridge for the newly free Dutch society and the burgeoning Jewish community, particularly as depicted in an extensive exhibition at the Jewish Museum in Manhattan. A way out west there was a fella, fella I want to tell you about, fella by the name of Jeff Lebowski. At least, that was the handle his lovin' parents gave him, but he never had much use for it himself. This Lebowski, he called himself the Dude. Now, Dude, that's a name no one would self-apply where I come from. But then, there was a lot about the Dude that didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. And a lot about where he lived, likewise. But then again, maybe that's why I found the place s'durned innarestin'.

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Tags

Jewish CommunityNetherlandsPurimAmsterdamCultural IntegrationExhibitionEsther17th CenturyRembrandtDutch Art

Places mentioned

The Hague, South Holland, Netherlands
"Courtesy of Museum Bredius, The Hague, Netherlands"
Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands
"If you were to visit a home in Amsterdam in the 17th Century, you might find..."
North Holland, Netherlands
"Esthers Eastern milieu, exotic to Dutch artists and patrons then trading with the Safavid Empire, was an attractive subject..."
Raleigh, North Carolina, United States
"3576982 The Feast of Esther, c.1625 by Lievens, Jan the Elder (1607-74); 130.8163.8 cm; North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh, USA;"
New York, United States
"A Megillah scroll, by Raphael Monalto, hints at the prosperity and ritual of the Portuguese Jewish community in Amsterdam. Courtesy of New York Public Library"
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
"Rembrandts portrait of a biblical heroine (probably Esther) has its own wall in the gallery. Courtesy of National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa"
London, United Kingdom
"A 1665 portrait of Esther by Aert de Gelder. Courtesy of Private Collection, London."

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Cairo Item ID 46010
Cairo Source ID 35
Retrieved 2025-03-07 05:30:40 UTC
Curated 2025-03-07 08:30:36 UTC