Blind Isaac blesses Jacob by Jusepe de Ribera

At the heart of the picture is a biblical story. The progenitor of the Jewish people, Isaac, and his wife, Rebekah, had two twin sons. The mother’s favorite was Jacob, who was born second. On the advice of Rebekah, Jacob, taking advantage of his father’s blindness, received his blessing as the eldest son.

On a large canvas of horizontal format, the events are shown in detail and in detail: the main part is occupied by the figures of Isaac, Jacob and Rebekah. Far away is the elder brother Esau, who returned from the hunt. Isaac and Jacob look calm, the drama of the situation is conveyed through the expression on Rebekah’s face: it shows the love for his son and the fear of exposure. The feeling of conflict is enhanced by expressive color, built on shades of red. Rebekah’s state of mind became for the artist the main content of the painting.