Jacob's dream

This painting, which entered the Academy’s collections as part of the Fabio Rosa bequest, was originally known as “a painting from the Neapolitan school” but has recently been definitively attributed to Francesco Guarino. The figure of Jacob is clearly inspired by Ribera’s painting of the same subject (now at the Museo del Prado), but in its style and tones, which deviate from those typical of Neapolitan Caravaggism, much play is made of the contrast between the acid-bright colours of Jacob’s clothing. The painting features exquisitely observed details of notable beauty, including the sleeping dog to the left of Jacob, the haversack lying on the ground to his right, and the delicate movement of the angels ascending the ladder.