Jacob guarding Laban's flock 1613 - 1624

Theodore Kruger created this print, Jacob Guarding Laban's Flock, using etching. The composition is split into the foreground and background and the dark and light with the cave on the right and the open landscape on the left. The foreground is dominated by the figure of Jacob, surrounded by sheep, rendered through dense, close-knit lines that create texture. In contrast, the background transitions to lighter, sparser marks, suggesting distance. A tension is set up between Jacob and the sheep in shade, and the bright beams of light emanating from the cave, with its unknown depths. Kruger employs a visual language that invites us to consider the interplay between protection and the unknown, safety and risk. The formal structure of the print, its contrasting textures and tonal shifts, function as a meditation on the biblical narrative and a visual exploration of its underlying themes.