The Jewish Bride, also known as Het Joodse bruidje in Dutch, is an oil painting by Rembrandt van Rijn. Created between 1665 and 1669, it is considered one of the most significant works of the Dutch Baroque movement.
The painting depicts a loving couple, Isaac and Rebecca. The focus is on their tender hand touch and gazes, which creates a subtle mood despite the bold execution of their clothing. Rembrandt’s descriptions of light, texture, human situations, modeling, space and atmosphere may be traced back to his Leiden years foundations.
It was previously thought that the painting showed a Jewish father giving his daughter a necklace on her wedding day but this interpretation has been found incorrect. Although known as The Jewish Bride it’s more likely that this couple were lovers rather than related which creates an interesting dynamic within the painting.
The painting was intended for a small audience who could appreciate psychologically expressive paintings such as The Jewish Bride. The work is considered late in Rembrandt’s career where he was exploring themes around love and intimacy in his work.
