The Twelve Sons of Jacob

From the Cleveland Museum of Art record

This series of prints presents the 12 sons of Jacob, each with an attribute and costume that denotes his character. According to the Old Testament, Jacob blessed each of his 12 sons, prophesizing the destiny of their tribe, and assigning them a parcel of land in Canaan (present-day Israel). The print series was made in the Netherlands in the late 1500s, a time of political struggle when Old Testament heroes were popular exemplars of fortitude and patience. The set includes Levi, Simeon, Judah, Zabulun, Isaacher, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, Joseph, and Benjamin. The CMA's set is lacking the plates for Dan and Ruben. Among the attributes for each of Jacob's sons are the crown of Judah, symbolizing his status as ancestor of Kings David and Solomon, and a flowing fountain for Joseph, referring to Joseph's blessing of a double inheritance from his father.