Silent Prayer, Synagogue of Amsterdam, “The Amidah”

Born into a Bordeaux family with Western Sephardic roots, Jacques-Émile-Édouard Brandon studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris and initially made his reputation with depictions of Christian subjects, particularly his series on the life of St. Bridget of Sweden. In the 1860s, he shifted markedly to Jewish themes, notably synagogue and classroom scenes, the Sabbath, and portrayals of rabbis with children. While Brandon’s style was academic, he did show his Scene in a Synagogue and other works at what came to be seen as the first Impressionist exhibition in Paris, in 1874.