DISCOVERART

Jan van Tiegen

The Meeting of Jacob and Rebecca, and Isaac Blessing Jacob, from The Story of Jacob

1560/68
Wool and silk, slit and double interlocking tapestry weave
267.7 × 260.4 cm (105.4 × 102.5 in)

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In the collection of Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago · as of July 2026

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FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG

In the foreground of this tapestry based on the biblical story of Jacob and Esau, Rebecca advises her favorite son Jacob, clad in a star-adorned cloak, how to steal the birthright that belongs to his twin brother, Esau. The two young goats standing in the foreground were requested by Rebecca so she might cook a meal for Jacob to offer Isaac in exchange for the birthright. The scene in the right background shows the blind Isaac lying in bed and blessing the kneeling Jacob, having mistaken him for Esau. Rebecca stands nearby, holding a platter of goat meat. In the left background, Esau hunts with his dogs, unaware of the plot against him. All episodes shown are based on Genesis 27:2–29. The story of Jacob was a common subject for tapestry series; various Jacob suites were woven by Brussels and Flemish weavers in the 16th century.

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