De droom van Jacob 1650 - 1660

This drawing by Nicolaes Maes depicts Jacob's dream, a powerful biblical scene rendered in ink. Here, the ladder is the dominant symbol, acting as a bridge between the earthly and the divine, crowded with angels ascending and descending. This ladder motif echoes through time, resonating with other images of spiritual ascent, such as the Tower of Babel or even the Tree of Life. The ladder in Maes's drawing differs subtly; it's not a symbol of human ambition reaching for the heavens, but a conduit for divine intervention, a visual metaphor for revelation. The emotional weight of this image lies in the idea of divine promise and connection, tapping into our collective yearning for meaning and reassurance. The motif reappears through history, evolving from ancient religious contexts into secular symbols of progress, always carrying the psychological imprint of hope and transcendence.