Esau Sells his Birthright

Hendrick ter Brugghen first studied under Abraham Bloemaert in Utrecht. After that he spent the years 1604 to 1614 in Italy, and was profoundly impressed by the unique style of Michelangelo da Caravaggio. Art historians now consider him to be one of the great masters of Utrecht Caravaggism. This presentation of the scene from Genesis (25, 29-34), in which Esau returns hungry from hunting and sells his birthright to his brother Jacob for a dish of lentils, draws life entirely from the expressive, silent dialogue between the brothers, staged only in terms of movement. The fateful deal is concentrated on their hands, which the centre of the picture, and illuminates the beautifully formed profiles of the boys, turned eloquently towards each other. But this is not all: the light also structures the space. The parents are present in the room, apparently untouched by the incident. The father is bending over the table on the left-hand side and spooning up his soup. Rebecca, the mother, busy but restrained, is behind the table, carrying a copper plate, holding herself stiffly with a positively dignified expression; she casts a shadow on the rear wall. Individual objects form sparse still lifes.| Prestel Museum Guides - Gemäldegalerie Berlin, 2017