Jacob en de engel 1898

Charles Albert Waltner created this print, Jacob and the Angel, using etching, a printmaking technique that involves using acid to corrode lines in a metal plate. The image depicts a dramatic encounter from the Book of Genesis. Jacob wrestles with a divine being, often interpreted as an angel. This struggle is a symbolic representation of inner conflict and spiritual transformation. The nocturnal setting, with its dramatic lighting, evokes the tradition of biblical illustration that was popular in France. The print may be understood as a response to the rise of secularism at this time. Artists were increasingly called to produce art for the masses, as institutions such as public museums and art schools began to proliferate. The use of printmaking may be significant in this respect. Was the artist attempting to grapple with these social and cultural changes? To understand the work fully, scholars investigate the artist's biography, examine the social, political and philosophical debates of the time, and compare it to other works with similar themes. Through this process, we discover the ways in which artistic meaning is inextricably linked to its historical context.