Earlier this month, TYG and I took in an exhibit at the North Carolina Museum of Art on “The Book of Esther in the Age of Rembrandt.” The story of Esther, who saves her people from a Royal pogrom launched by a vindictive official (which is what Judaism celebrates at Purim), was immensely popular in 1600s Netherlands. There were a lot of Jews who’d emigrated there for a relatively high religious tolerance, and many of the Dutch identified with Esther as a symbol for their own fight for freedom from the papacy. It’s typical of the kind of cool niche exhibits we get at local museums.
There were Esther scrolls from Jewish communities —
— a cast list for a stage version of the story —
— and names from a lottery drawing, one of the ways poorer Jewish families raised money for dowries.
And, of course, art. The two paintings directly below are Rembrandts.
And some modern art, such as this painting by Fred Wilson comparing Esther to Harriet Tubman.
We had limited time but we did check out some of the other exhibits including a display of North Carolina photography. The second photo below is of a covered, unused swimming pool.
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