Isaac Blessing Jacob

Art Historical Context

This engraving captures the pivotal biblical moment from Genesis when the aging patriarch Isaac bestows his blessing upon his son Jacob, believing him to be the elder twin Esau. The composition centers on the intimate family drama, with figures arranged to convey both tenderness and deception, while subtle details like coats of arms add layers of heraldic symbolism to the scene. Created between 1730 and 1779, the work reflects the enduring popularity of Old Testament subjects in European art during the eighteenth century. Although associated with Jusepe de Ribera, the Spanish-born master of dramatic Baroque lighting known as Lo Spagnoletto, the engraving likely translates one of his compositions through the hands of printmakers Stefano Torelli and Lorenzo Zucchi. Engraving allowed such powerful images to reach wider audiences beyond the original painting’s location. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Department of Drawings and Prints, this sheet measuring roughly 12 by 14 inches exemplifies how reproductive prints preserved and disseminated influential religious narratives across Europe. Its acquisition through the Rogers Fund in 1962 underscores the museum’s commitment to showcasing the technical artistry and cultural reach of printmaking.