The Great Jewish Bride

etching, 1635

Why this print is traditionally called The Jewish Bride is uncertain. It probably depicts Rembrandt’s wife, Saskia, in the guise of a biblical figure: the Jewish queen Esther, who would beseech her husband, the Persian king Ahasuerus, to save her people. Here she holds the order to kill the Jews issued by Haman, her husband’s vizier. In the end, Ahasuerus did not consent, and ignored the order.

  • Artwork typeprint
  • Object numberRP-P-OB-727
  • Dimensionsheight 220 mm x width 168 mm
  • Physical characteristicsets, droge naald en burijn