Isaac Feels Jacob as Rebekah 

James Tissot made this drawing, "Isaac Feels Jacob as Rebekah", likely in the late 19th century. Tissot was a French painter who gained success depicting fashionable society but later turned to religious subjects. This image illustrates a scene from the Book of Genesis, where Jacob deceives his blind father Isaac to receive the blessing meant for his brother Esau. Jacob, guided by his mother Rebekah, wears goatskins to simulate Esau's hairiness. What does it mean to depict a story about deception? In 19th-century Europe, religious art had become conventional. It often reinforced social norms. Tissot, however, was interested in the complexities of faith and the human condition. This work encourages us to question authority and consider the moral ambiguities within religious narratives. To fully appreciate Tissot's art, we must delve into the social history of 19th-century France, the changing role of religion, and the artist's personal journey. It's through such research that the true meaning of art emerges.