Jakob ontvangt de zegen van Isaak

About this artwork

Isaak ligt in bed en zegent Jakob, die voor het bed is geknield en zijn handen op de dekens heeft gelegd. Naast het bed staat Rebekka. Via een doorkijkje naar buiten is een rennende man te zien ( Esau die gaat jagen voor Isaak). Deze prent is een illustratie bij het zeventiende hoofdstuk van het eerste boek van 'Alle de werken van Flavius Josephus'.

Art Historical Context

In this delicate 1779 engraving by Dutch artist Theodoor Koning, titled *Jakob ontvangt deegen van Isaak* (Jacob Receives the Blessing from Isaac), we witness a pivotal biblical moment from Genesis 27. Isaac lies frail in bed, bestowing the coveted patriarchal blessing on his younger son Jacob, who kneels devoutly with hands resting on the bedcovers. Rebekah stands nearby, complicit in the deception that denies Esau his birthright. Through a clever architectural glimpse to the outdoors, Esau is glimpsed sprinting off to hunt—highlighting the story's tension and divine irony. Measuring just 228 × 152 mm, this finely detailed print exemplifies 18th-century engraving techniques, where Koning incised intricate lines into a metal plate to capture subtle expressions, textures like the rumpled bed linens, and spatial depth. Produced as an illustration for chapter 17 of the first book in *Alle de werken van Flavius Josephus*—a Dutch edition of the ancient historian's retelling of Jewish antiquities—it made sacred narratives visually accessible to readers. Such engravings bridged art and literature, popularizing biblical tales during the Enlightenment, when religious devotion intertwined with scholarly interest in antiquity. A charming window into faith, family intrigue, and artistic precision!