Isaac Blessing Jacob

The scene of Isaac blessing Jacob — where the younger son deceives his blind father to steal his brother's birthright — offered Stom an ideal subject for exploring blindness, touch, and dramatic irony through his Caravaggist vocabulary. Painted in 1635, this work belongs to his most productive period and demonstrates the sophistication of his narrative painting. The biblical story of filial deception resonated with Baroque audiences attuned to themes of appearance versus reality.

Raking light across Isaac's sightless eyes and outstretched hands emphasizes the theme of touch replacing sight. The goatskin on Jacob's arm — the instrument of deception — is rendered with tactile precision that reinforces the narrative's focus on the sense of touch.