Der Engel erscheint Jacob im Traume 

Ferdinand Bol rendered this drawing, "The Angel Appears to Jacob in a Dream," using pen and brown ink, brush and gray and brown wash. Note the angel's commanding presence, a celestial messenger delivering divine will, her form reminiscent of classical antiquity, echoing figures of Nike or winged victories, symbols of triumph and divine favor. The iconography of angels, winged beings acting as intermediaries between the earthly and divine, harkens back to ancient Near Eastern and Greco-Roman traditions, later integrated into Christian and Jewish art. They are a motif that recurs across cultures and epochs. Consider the angel's gesture—an outstretched hand—a symbolic bridge between realms, a motif seen in countless annunciations and divine encounters throughout art history. This gesture, laden with hope and guidance, speaks to a collective longing for divine intervention, a subconscious desire for connection with the transcendent. Ultimately, these symbols resonate because they tap into our deepest emotional and psychological needs, surfacing in different guises throughout history, ever evolving, yet eternally compelling.