Het vertrek van Rebekka 1743 - 1803

Curator: Oh, look at this fascinating piece! This is an engraving titled "Het vertrek van Rebekka," or "The Departure of Rebecca," dating from between 1743 and 1803. It’s currently held at the Rijksmuseum. The artist is Giovanni Volpato. Editor: Wow, immediately, it's striking—there's this soft melancholy that seems to permeate the whole scene. It feels almost dreamlike, with all these figures clustered together. Curator: Volpato really captures the Baroque aesthetic here. Notice the intricate detail and dramatic composition. Engravings from this period often served as a means of disseminating historical and biblical scenes. The story of Rebecca is, of course, from the Book of Genesis. Editor: Yes, that sorrowful farewell is pretty powerful. She is, what, being given away into a new marriage or new territory? There’s a tension between what I imagine she might feel about leaving and her presumed duty, perhaps? That woman with the baby... is she some kind of mirror to a future Rebecca? Curator: That is a fantastic observation. The woman nursing could symbolize fertility, promise and continuity of lineage. This particular moment depicts Rebecca leaving her family to marry Isaac, thus becoming a key figure in the lineage that leads to the Davidic line. Notice, too, how the architecture frames the figures, creating a sense of both grandeur and confinement. The columns almost appear like prison bars... Editor: I see that. And the gaze... everyone's turned either inward or down. It is as if Volpato's implying the cost to personal joy. Rebecca seems almost reluctantly resigned, like she has accepted fate...but maybe isn’t ecstatic about it. Curator: That subdued expression is so poignant. Volpato, through the engraving technique, adds an emotional weight to a scene so filled with important symbolic overtones for the culture. I see that departure point marked deeply by the architecture in combination with Rebecca's body language. Editor: Right. I am really glad that you helped unpack it. Seeing just the aesthetic, I wasn't placing all the relevant cultural and biblical pieces. Thanks to the historical references and psychological touchstones, the piece transformed completely for me. Curator: My pleasure. This work is so full of cultural narrative, visual symbols, and enduring emotions; the kind of work that stays with you.