“The Dream of Jacob”, Hussepe de Ribera – description of the painting

Description of the picture:

Jacob’s Dream – Hussepe de Ribera. 1639. Oil on canvas. 179×233

   “Jacob’s Dream” – This is a picture of the mysterious dream of Patriarch Jacob described in Genesis. He is depicted asleep, behind him is a tree, and on the other hand is a sheaf of light pouring from a gray-blue sky. The juxtaposition of the volumes of the foreground, occurring sideways, is a confirmation of the narrow sense of light of the artist and his beautiful composition.

   When depicting the dream of Jacob, the master departs from his classical iconography, in which the staircase revealed in the dream is certainly located. Her role here is given to the golden radiance flowing from heaven. In this stream, silhouettes of angels are hardly distinguishable. The play of light on the face of the shepherd indicates the divinity of Jacob’s dream."