Artwork
Jacob Meeting Rachel
Jacob Meeting Rachel is an oil painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Pier Francesco Mola. It dates from 1659 and is held in the collection of the Hermitage Museum.
About this work
Overview
Pier Francesco Mola’s oil on canvas, dated 1659, depicts the biblical encounter between Jacob and Rachel. The work is part of the collection of the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg.
Subject & Meaning
The composition illustrates the moment Jacob sees Rachel, a shepherdess, as described in Genesis. Jacob, bare‑chested and holding a staff, approaches Rachel, who sits on a rock in a vivid orange gown, while a small white dog rests at her feet, suggesting domestic tranquility.
Technique & Style
Mola employs a warm palette dominated by earthy greens, browns, and a striking orange for the female figure. The sky is rendered in muted blues with soft clouds, and the landscape features gently rolling hills, trees, and a flock of white and brown sheep, all executed with the fluid brushwork characteristic of mid‑17th‑century Italian Baroque.
History & Provenance
Created in 1659, the painting entered the State Hermitage Museum’s holdings at an unspecified later date, where it remains on display as part of the museum’s European Baroque collection.
Artist & collection
Artist
Pier Francesco Mola, called Il Ticinese was an Italian painter of the High Baroque, mainly active around Rome.
