De besnijdenis 1660

"De besnijdenis," or "The Circumcision," was made around 1660 by Moses ter Borch, using pen and gray ink. Ter Borch, who died very young, left behind a small but impressive body of work. This drawing depicts a Jewish circumcision ceremony, a key rite of passage. In the 17th century Dutch Republic, Jewish people, many of whom were Sephardic Jews who had fled the Iberian Peninsula, found relative religious tolerance. Ter Borch, who was not Jewish, was interested in capturing scenes from Jewish life, reflecting a broader societal curiosity and, at times, respect for Jewish traditions. Observe the emotional intensity of the scene, the careful rendering of the figures, and the somber mood, all of which invite reflection on religious identity, cultural difference, and the shared human experiences of ritual and community. The drawing serves as a historical record, but also evokes questions about how we represent and understand cultures different from our own.