Spinoza before His Judges

Maurits Leon

ca. 1865–1870

Lithograph of man with long hair standing before table of seated men.
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Creator Bio

Maurits Leon

1838–1865
The Dutch painter Maurits Leon was born to a distinguished Sephardic family in The Hague. Following his studies there and at the Royal Academy in Antwerp, he settled in Amsterdam, where he became known for his genre paintings and received the Royal Medal in 1861. In the 1860s, his focus shifted to painting Jewish religious services in an Amsterdam synagogue as well as subjects related to the history of Sephardic Jews in Holland. Unfortunately, the whereabouts of all but a few of Leon’s paintings are unknown.

Related Guide

Painters, Sculptors, and Photographers, 1750–1880

All over the world, Jewish art reflected the hybrid nature of Jewishness, including the material circumstances and cultural milieu of the larger environment. Individual artisans and artists selected and created according to their personal and Jewish experiences.

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Spinoza and the Heterodox Challenge

Spinoza is notable for rejecting Judaism without converting to Christianity. After his excommunication from Amsterdam's Sephardic community, he developed the basis of modern biblical criticism.

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