Variations. Again.

I don't know why I like it when different artist get inspired by the same theme but I do. Many times, of course, named themes are Biblical since - let's face it - it is the most widely known text on Earth. And the stories are really interesting and thought-wakening as well, whether you're religious or not. This time, it's Jacob's fight with the angel (you can read it in the first book by Moses, chapter 32). If you are interested in this story's mystery, read Geoffrey Hartman's essay (Struggle for the Text, in: Midrash and Literature), it's great and absolutely entertaining (unlike some scientifical or semi-scientifical texts...)!

When it comes to Jacob and the angel, there are basically three ways to represent it. The forst one is depicting the scene as a fight, as seen above (sculpture by Ruth Beloe).
It is also possible to imagine it as a dance:

Delacroix's version (Jacob Wrestling the Angel) is probably the most famous example but Frans Frank's piece is also beautiful:

And this is Gustave Dore's painting, from 1855:

The third way to portray this controversial act is to express some kind of tenderness in the persons (obviously, it can be seen as a dance form as well...). My favourite Jacob and the angel painting (by Rembrandt) shows it perfectly...

... but Jacoib Epstein's scuplture is also beautiful:


PS. I am sorry for not posting more frequently but exams are killing me... Hopefully they'll be over soon.