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Plaque with the Dream of Jacob
(Renaissance Europe )
The Old Testament patriarch Jacob was sleeping outdoors (Genesis 27) and dreamed that he saw a golden ladder reaching to heaven upon which angels ascended and descended, foretelling the greatness of his descendants. The composition is based on an engraving of 1582-83 after a drawing by Martin de Vos (1532-1603), the most influential Antwerp painter and designer for prints of his time.
The blue, star-studded sky establishes a nighttime setting. The combination of semi-opaque and translucent enamels-in particular the patches of clear red-creates a brilliant coloristic effect that draws attention to the surface. The format conforms to the earlier "Plaque with Christ Carrying the Cross", but the technique is closer to that of Suzanne de Court's "Plaque with the Annunciation" of ca. 1600.
Provenance
Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object.
Henri Daguerre, Paris [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Henry Walters, Baltimore, 1928, by purchase; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
Exhibitions
| 1995 | The Allure of Bronze. The Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore. |
Conservation
| Date | Description | Narrative |
|---|---|---|
| 5/20/1965 | Treatment | loss compensation |
| 10/8/1987 | Treatment | cleaned; loss compensation |
Geographies
France, Limoges (Place of Origin)
Measurements
H: 6 9/16 x W: 5 3/8 in. (16.7 x 13.7 cm)
Credit Line
Acquired by Henry Walters, 1928
Location in Museum
Not on view
Accession Number
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
44.42