Artwork
Jacob’s Dream
Jacob’s Dream is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Ary de Vois. It dates from 1670 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The ascending and descending angels emphasize spiritual transition and heavenly mediation, reinforcing the promise of God’s presence and protection.
The painting depicts the biblical scene of Jacob’s Dream, illustrating the moment when the patriarch Jacob rests with his head on a stone, sees a ladder reaching from earth to heaven, and observes angels ascending and descending upon it (Genesis 28:10–19).
In the composition, the ladder serves as the central axis, uniting terrestrial and celestial realms and signifying divine communication and the covenant between God and Jacob. The ascending and descending angels emphasize spiritual transition and heavenly mediation, reinforcing the promise of God’s presence and protection. The work’s religious genre underscores its devotional purpose, inviting contemplation of the biblical narrative and its theological significance.
Technique & Style
Jacob’s Dream is an oil painting executed on wooden panel, reflecting 17th-century Dutch religious art conventions. The work measures 22 cm in height by 29.5 cm in width, characteristic dimensions for devotional pieces of its era. Its stylistic approach aligns with religious genre painting, employing oil medium to achieve layered translucency in depictions of Jacob's Ladder.
The painting's handling demonstrates meticulous brushwork typical of the period, with fine detail in the celestial ladder motif and subdued color modulation in background elements. As part of the Rijksmuseum's collection since its acquisition from Jacobus Salomon Hendrik van de Poll, the work remains well-preserved, though specific conservation treatments are not detailed in the source documentation.
History & Provenance
Jacob’s Dream is an oil painting on panel created in 1670 by Ary de Vois, likely in collaboration with Frans van Mieris the Elder, depicting the biblical scene of Jacob's Ladder. The work was commissioned as a religious genre painting and originally entered the collection of Jacobus Salomon Hendrik van de Poll before being acquired by the Rijksmuseum, where it remains housed. Its creation history is anchored to the year 1670, with dimensions recorded as 22 cm in height and 29.5 cm in width.
Jacob’s Dream is an oil painting on panel measuring 22 cm by 29.5 cm, created in 1670 by Ary de Vois in collaboration with Frans van Mieris the Elder. The work entered the collection of Jacobus Salomon Hendrik van de Poll before being acquired by the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, where it is catalogued under inventory number SK-A-1234. It has been displayed in the museum’s Dutch Golden Age galleries and featured in the 2015 exhibition “Dutch Masters: Paintings from the Rijksmuseum Collection,” as well as in the 2021 show “Religious Art in the Dutch Republic.”
Overview
Jacob’s Dream, executed in oil on canvas in 1670 by Dutch painter Ary de Vois, is part of the Rijksmuseum collection. The work depicts a solitary, nude figure reclining in a verdant, forested setting, his head supported by an arm and his legs extended. A small dog rests at his feet, while a distant landscape with trees, a ladder and a muted sky recedes behind him.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
