08/21/2026
The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum's current exhibition, The Book of Esther in the Age of Rembrandt, illuminates how the ancient story of a Jewish heroine, Esther, became a source of inspiration for people across faiths in the 17th-century Netherlands.
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In Rembrandt Chooses a Queen, the famous artist has a problem. He wants to paint a scene from the biblical Purim story, but his model is too vain to portray the beautiful yet humble Esther. Samuel, a Jewish apprentice in Rembrandt's workshop, believes his sister Isabel would be the perfect replacement. She knows the Purim story well, is inspired by Esther's bravery, and proud to be Jewish. Now they just need to convince the great artist.
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Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
Dr. Kerry Olitzky