The Jewish Bride

It’s the colours of Rembrandt’s Jewish Bride that are so striking. The gold and red costumes of the man and woman shimmer on the surface of the picture. For centuries people have been arguing over the subject. Who are these two people in such a tender embrace? Is she even a bride, and why should she be Jewish? Could they be a father and daughter? If so, it’s odd that he’s resting his hand on her breast. Or are they lovers, he a little older than her? Opinions differ as to who they are. The arguments for and against the various identifications proposed down the ages lead to just one inescapable conclusion in this book. To Rembrandt they were the biblical Isaac and his wife Rebecca. In this edition in the Rijksmuseum Series, Rembrandt expert Jonathan Bikker unravels the mystery and comes to a convincing conclusion.