Juda en Tamar 1606 - 1674

Leonaert Bramer rendered this drawing of Juda and Tamar with pen in gray and brown ink. Note how the figures are positioned. Tamar extends her hand towards Judah, who is holding something. This is reminiscent of countless depictions of giving and receiving—an act as old as time, and a universal symbol of exchange and interaction. Here, it is deeply rooted in a narrative of trickery. Tamar, disguised as a prostitute, receives Judah's signet ring, cord, and staff as collateral, symbols of his identity. Consider the act of exchange in other artworks, such as the presentation scenes in medieval altarpieces, the figures of Greek mythology giving or receiving gifts. The recurring motif reveals the continuity of human experience, desires, and the eternal dance of influence and dependence. It's an eternal return of gestures and motifs. The emotional weight of this scene is carried through this transaction, reminding us of the power of objects and gestures.