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Scenes from the Lives of Abraham, Jacob and Joseph
Scenes from the Book of Genesis (part of a valance)
Scenes from the Lives of Abraham, Jacob and Joseph
Derived from: woodcuts by Virgil Solis of Nuremberg
Northern German or Danish
Late 16th or first half of 17th century
Object Place: Northern Germany or Denmark
Medium/Technique
Warp: wool
Wefts: wool, silk and metal yarns; tapestry weave
Wefts: wool, silk and metal yarns; tapestry weave
Dimensions
64.13 x 505.46 cm (25 1/4 x 199 in.); Legacy dimension: 2 ft. 3/4 in. x 16 ft. 9 1/8 in. (0.63 x 5.11 m)
Credit Line
Charles Potter Kling Fund
Accession Number62.1012
NOT ON VIEW
CollectionsEurope, Fashion and Textiles
ClassificationsTextiles
DescriptionEight scenes from the Book of Genesis are shown in simple landscape or interior settings arranged in a horizontal row. A repeating unit, consisting of a tree rising from behind a single large beast, separates one scene from the next. The details of tree and beast vary from one unit to another; but in every case there is a bird of some kind perched in the branches of the tree. In the extreme foreground, and also occasionally in the picture area there are large plants bearing enormous tulips, roses, irises, and other blossoms. Reading left to right, the biblical episodes are arranged as follows: 1. Sacrifice of Isaac, followed by a tree and stag. 2. Jacob's dream, followed by a tree and a lion. 3. Jacob showing Straked Rods to Laban's Flocks, followed by a tree and elephant. 4. Jacob wrestling with the Angel, followed by a tree and a bear. 5. Joseph Being Raised from the Pit and Joseph Sold by His Brothers , followed by a tree and camel. 6. Joseph's escaping from Potiphar's wife. 7. Joseph Explaining Pharaoh's Dream, followed by a tree and a horse. A narrow guard serves as a border along the upper and lower edges of the tapestry. Strips of tape simulate guard bands at each band.
Provenance1913, Martin van Straaten, London; January 1, 1913, sold by van Straaten to French and Company, New York (stock no. 5402); 1964, sold by French and Co. to the MFA. (Accession Date: November 14, 1962)