He throws up both hands at the sight.
Bible in art · Genesis
Joseph's Coat Brought to Jacob
Rembrandt · c. 1633
National Gallery of Art, Washington
This small etching of about 1633 was made in Rembrandt’s first years in Amsterdam, when he was still in his twenties. Lines are few and quick in the trees, dense in the shadows of the doorway.
Jacob throws up his hands at the sight of the robe, held out by a kneeling son. Another son points away, as if to the place where the animal attacked. Behind Jacob an old woman joins her hands.
From the text
- The robe sent to Jacob with “Examine it” (Genesis 37:32)
- Jacob recognizing it: “It is my son’s robe!” (Genesis 37:33)
- His sons and daughters around him (Genesis 37:35)
The artist’s own
- A son pointing, as if to where the animal attacked
- An old woman behind Jacob; the text names no woman here
Details
Jacob
The robe
A pale garment, held out over the arms of a kneeling son.
Pointing away
The standing son stretches out his arm and points into the distance.
Behind Jacob
An old woman stands with her hands joined.
Rembrandt van Rijn, Dutch, 1606–1669. National Gallery of Art, Washington (Rosenwald Collection, 1943.3.7260) · Etching and touches of drypoint · NGA Open Access: "Images of these works are available free of charge for any use, commercial or non-commercial, under Creative Commons Zero (CC0)." (NGA open data: published_images.csv openaccess = 1)