1668
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
Laban Searching for His Stolen Household Gods is a 1668 unspecified by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, a Baroque work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
Laban storms into Jacob’s camp, hands raised in accusation. A servant points toward Jacob’s tent while Rachel hides the stolen statues under her skirt. Murillo shows the moment Jacob offers to let Laban search everything. This isn’t just a Bible scene—it’s a family fight where no one wins. The rich colors make the anger feel real, not like a stiff old story. Check out Murillo’s other work at The Cleveland Museum of Art.
This story comes from the Old Testament book of Genesis and stresses the value of reconciliation. Jacob lived with his uncle Laban for years, marrying Laban’s daughters Rachel and Leah. When the relationship between the men soured, Jacob and his family departed, while Rachel secretly stole her father’s household gods. When Laban discovered that the statues were missing, he pursued Jacob, accusing him of theft. Here, Jacob invites Laban to search his tent, while Rachel sits on the saddlebag containing the statues. After coming up empty-handed, Laban proposes a truce, ending the squabble.
Read the full account in the museum source.
Bartolomé Esteban Murillo ( mure-IL-oh, m(y)uu-REE-oh, Spanish: ; late December 1617, baptised 1 January 1618 – 3 April 1682) was a Spanish Baroque painter.
See the richer artist page
