Jacob's Ladder 1655

Curator: Rembrandt’s "Jacob’s Ladder," a tiny etching from the 17th century, now residing at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It feels like a dream caught in ink—darkness punctuated by fleeting, luminous figures. Curator: Exactly! Rembrandt returns to the Old Testament story. Jacob sleeps, using a stone as a pillow, and dreams of angels ascending and descending a ladder to heaven. Editor: This makes me think of the way society constructs ladders for social mobility that can be dreams or nightmares. Curator: Absolutely. Here, the angels are a comforting presence, a divine intervention perhaps. Editor: Indeed. Such a small piece yet it evokes such a grand vision. I always find myself contemplating this piece and the many ladders that exist in our society.