Laban en Jakob sluiten een verbond Possibly 1705 - 1728

This is Jan van Vianen's engraving, "Laban en Jakob sluiten een verbond", made in the Netherlands around the turn of the 18th century. Van Vianen has depicted a scene from the Old Testament where Laban and Jacob establish a covenant. Engravings like this one played a significant role in disseminating biblical stories throughout Dutch society. This piece reflects the cultural and religious values of the time, yet the relationships between men and women are particularly interesting to observe in the context of gender roles. In the foreground, women appear to be consoling each other, perhaps hinting at the emotional and personal sacrifices often made in patriarchal societies. The men, in contrast, are gathered around a table, engaged in what appears to be a formal agreement. The women seem to be more concerned with intimacy. Van Vianen's composition captures a sense of the emotional undercurrents that shape social and political life, offering a glimpse into the personal dimensions of these historical narratives.