Eliëzer overhandigt geschenken aan Rebekka c. 1575 - 1600

This woven tapestry depicts Eliëzer offering gifts to Rebekka, though its maker is unknown. The act of giving gifts carries a wealth of symbolic weight across cultures and history. Here, the gifts represent not just material wealth, but a promise, a covenant. Think of the golden calf, a symbol of idolatry and broken promises, or even the apple offered by Eve, a gift laden with forbidden knowledge. This simple act becomes a powerful metaphor for exchange and expectation. Consider how this motif resurfaces in Renaissance paintings of the Magi, bearing gifts for the infant Christ. The act of bestowing gifts becomes a profound symbol of recognition, honor, and the dawn of a new era, echoing through time, weaving a complex tapestry of human intention and consequence. These symbols engage viewers on a deep, subconscious level. The act is not just a transaction, but a deeply emotional and psychological exchange.