Jacob's ladder

Jacob's ladder is a profound print created by the Dutch master Rembrandt van Rijn in 1655. This celebrated work interprets the famous Old Testament vision recorded in Genesis 28, depicting the moment Jacob dreams of a ladder stretching from Earth to Heaven, populated by ascending and descending angels. Produced late in the artist's prolific career, this piece reflects Rijn's enduring fascination with dramatic Biblical narrative and the psychological introspection of spiritual experience.

Rendered on paper, this specific print highlights the atmospheric techniques Rijn employed to evoke deep drama, characteristic of his graphic works. Unlike the highly detailed etchings of his earlier career, the treatment here is broader and more focused, centering intensely on the fall of light upon Jacob's sleeping form and the ethereal activity on the ladder itself. Rijn masterfully uses variations in line and tone to suggest divine illumination breaking through the intense darkness surrounding the visionary scene, conveying the awe inherent in this spiritual moment.

The creation date places this visualization squarely within the Dutch Golden Age, where Biblical themes held immense cultural relevance. As one of the master prints from the period, Jacob's ladder demonstrates why Rijn remains celebrated for his command of the etching and drypoint media. Given the age and significance of the original, high-quality images and reproduction prints are frequently available in the public domain, ensuring Rijn's spiritual interpretations remain accessible worldwide. This original impression is held within the celebrated collection of Dutch masters at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.