The old testament patriarch jacob was sleeping outdoors (genesis 27) and dreamed that he saw a golden ladder reaching to heaven upon which angels ascended and descended, foretelling the greatness of his descendants. The composition is based on an engraving of 1582-83 after a drawing by martin de vos (1532-1603), the most influential antwerp painter and designer for prints of his time. The blue, star-studded sky establishes a nighttime setting. The combination of semi-opaque and translucent enamels-in particular the patches of clear red-creates a brilliant coloristic effect that draws attention to the surface. The format conforms to the earlier "plaque with christ carrying the cross", but the technique is closer to that of suzanne de court's "plaque with the annunciation" of ca. 1600. Date: circa 1600. Place of creation: Limoges, France. Dimensions: height: 16.7 cm (6.5 in); width: 13.7 cm (5.3 in). Medium: painted enamel and gilded copper. Collection: Walters Art Museum. Jean de Court II - Plaque with the Dream of Jacob - Walters 4442
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