Esther in the Age of Rembrandt is an art exhibit that has brought much unexpected visibility to queen Esther—the heroine of the Purim story. This exhibit, created and toured collaboratively between the Jewish Museum in New York, the North Carolina Museum of Art, and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, highlights the significant impact Esther had across the Christian art world, and how her heroism was portrayed in artworks across the rainaissance.
The leading thinkers behind this acclaimed show are three strong women into their own rights, and are coming together at The Vilna to talk about the show, Esther, and what this all means.
Panel conversation betwen Diana Greenwald of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Michelle Harrell of the North Caroline Museum of Art, and Abigail Rapoport of The Jewish Museum, with facilitation from The Vilna's Manager Director of Strategy and Impact, Laura Mandel.
Diana Greenwald
Diana Seave Greenwald is an art historian and economic historian. Her work uses both statistical and qualitative analyses to explore the relationship between art and broader social and economic change during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, particularly in the United States and France. Diana’s first book, Painting by Numbers: Data-Driven Histories of Nineteenth-Century Art, was published by Princeton University Press in 2021.
She is currently the William and Lia Poorvu Curator of the Collection at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. At the Gardner she has written, co-authored, or edited many exhibition catalogs and books: Allan Rohan Crite: Neighborhood Liturgy (2025, co-editor with Christina Michelon), Manet: A Model Family (2024, editor), Betye Saar: Heart of A Wanderer (2023, editor), Fellow Wanderer: Isabella Stewart Gardner's Travel Albums (2023, co-editor with Casey Riley), Isabella Stewart Gardner: A Life (2022, co-authored with Nathaniel Silver), and Isabella Stewart Gardner: Dog Lover (2020).
Michelle Harrell
Michelle Hardison Harrell is Director of Education at the North Carolina Museum of Art. She leads an incredible team of educators recognized for innovative approaches to learning. Her work at the NCMA has built upon her master’s thesis research ‘Interactive Technology: A Tool for Student-Centered Instruction in Middle School Art Education.’ She is currently pursuing her PhD in Learning Design and Technology at NC State University (Teacher Education and Learning Sciences Department) with a focus in digital learning ecosystems, open education, and scalable museum education strategies.
Current research centers around fostering human connections through object-based learning. In addition to her work in museums and education, Michelle is a practicing artist and advocate for mindfulness through visual journaling.
Abigail Rapoport
Need bio