The Depiction of Moses's Image in European Tradition of Visual Art: Michelangelo vs. Rembrandt

The depiction of Moses in the Bible exemplifies the intricate interplay between human experience and divine purpose. The Scripture presents Moses as a child who was miraculously saved from the plight of enslaved Hebrews, subsequently rising to the status of a royal prince, and later becoming an exiled shepherd. He is recognized as the foremost leader of the nation and is esteemed as the greatest of all prophets. In this class, we will examine the image of Moses depicted by Michelangelo and Rembrandt. Despite the fact that these artists portrayed Moses through the framework of Christian tradition, their artistic interpretations shed new light on the understanding of this remarkable figure.

During the class, we will compare and contrast the artistic interpretation in Michelangelo's statue and Rembrandt's painting. Furthermore, we will explore the ways these visual representations convey emotional complexity in their artistic work. At the conclusion of the class, we will deepen our understanding of the contribution of both artists to the depth of the text. This class is aimed at a wide audience interested in the interconnection between the Biblical text and Western culture. Participants of the class will gain a new appreciation for the complexity of Moses' image both in Scripture and in art. They will expand their knowledge of Scripture's influence on Western Civilization.

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Elana Medvedovsky-Khankaev is a psychoanalyst and clinical social worker with extensive training in both Jewish studies and psychoanalysis. She graduated from Michlalah Jerusalem College for Women, where she specialized in Bible study and Jewish philosophy, and later earned her degree in clinical social work from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 2000.

While living in Israel, Elana taught advanced courses in Tanach, including in-depth studies of the Prophet Yechezkel and the Twelve Minor Prophets. After relocating to the United States, she continued her psychoanalytic training at the Boston Institute for Psychotherapy (BIP), graduating in 2005. In 2025, she completed her psychoanalytic training at the Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute.

Elana is the Clinical Director of the private practice “Power of Connection,” where she provides psychoanalytically oriented treatment to individuals and couples. Fluent in three languages, she brings a strong multicultural sensitivity to her clinical work.

Her professional interests include Lacanian psychoanalysis, psychoanalytic approaches to complex trauma, and multidisciplinary explorations of biblical and psychoanalytic texts. She has been an invited presenter at the conference “Psychology of the Other,” organized by the Center for Psychological Humanities at Boston College, where she spoke on Lacanian concepts of the “Name of the Father.” She has also served as a panelist discussing Freud’s theory of Oedipus and the biblical notion of the Sacrifice of Yitzhak.

In addition to her clinical practice, Elana offers lectures and workshops that deepen and enrich the study of biblical texts through the lens of psychoanalytic theory. She lives in Boston with her husband, an orchestra conductor, and their three children.