Flinck, Govert (1615-1660)
Isaac Blessing Jacob
c.1638
Oil on canvas, 117 x 141 cm
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
The Bible recounts how Jacob, pretending to be his brother Esau, tricked their blind father into bestowing Esau’s rightful blessing on him. The idea of imitating Esau’s hirsute arms by wearing animal-skin gloves came from their mother Rebecca, who looks on from behind the bed. Flinck derived both this painting technique and narrative style from Rembrandt, by whom he was trained. (RIJKS)