1589
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
Plate 4: Judah is a 1589 by Jacob de Gheyn II, a Renaissance work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
A man in a fancy robe stands next to a lion, holding a tall staff. He looks serious, like a king or a leader. This is Judah, one of the twelve sons of Jacob from the Bible. Each son got a special blessing and a symbol—Judah’s is the lion, meaning strength and leadership. The artist made a whole series of these prints, one for each brother. If you like how the robe folds and the lion’s fur looks almost real, check out more works from The Cleveland Museum of Art.
In this print, the biblical figure Judah is posed in a ceremonial robe with a lion and holding a scepter, symbolizing his power, bravery, success in battle, and leadership. This is one of a series of prints depicting the twelve sons of Jacob, each with an attribute and costume that denotes his character. According to the Old Testament, Jacob blessed each of his twelve sons, prophesizing the destiny of their tribe, and assigning them a parcel of land in Canaan. The print series was made in the Netherlands in the late 16th century, a time of political struggle when Old Testament heroes were…
The crown atop the hat of this Old Testament figure symbolizes his status as an ancestor of Kings David and Solomon.
Read the full account in the museum source.
Jacob de Gheyn II was a Dutch painter and engraver, whose work shows the transition from Northern Mannerism to Dutch realism over the course of his career.
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