Jacob Wrestling with the Angel

[CTyankee]

3. No, not too much. I am an art historian and nothing is ever too much!

The author of this book on Rembrandt is Simon Schama, who is Jewish himself and certainly not timid about taking on this subject, all 700 pages of it!

I am not religious and I guess I'm a WASP, but not brought up in any religion. My interpretation, based on what I have been reading, is that Jacob is wrestling with himself and saying "I will not let thee go except thou bless me" is his way of searching for his own spiritual understanding. Rembrandt was painting in a Protestant country, so his interpretation would be slanted accordingly.

Rembrandt has also delivered on an interpretation of the return of the prodigal son that I consider one of the most powerful scenes in art. It stops your heart with its tenderness and beauty.

Rubens was painting at the same time and were somewhat rivals. Rubens had the Catholic sensitivity and background. You have only to compare the two artists treatment of the descent from the cross to understand the difference.