South German Master, 18th century, Jacob's Dream and The Sacrifice of Isaac

The two small panels depict the biblical scenes of the sacrifice of Isaac (22:1-19) and Jacob's dream (Gen. 28:11).
Abraham is about to raise his arm to kill his own son when the angel touches him on the shoulder. The action takes place as if on a small stage in front of a forest backdrop. The ram that God sends for the sacrifice can be seen in the background on the left.
On the left in the foreground, the sleeping Jacob lies and sees a ladder in his dream that reaches up to heaven and on which angels climb up and down. The nocturnal atmosphere is well captured by the choice of colours. The fir trees in the background point to the foothills of the Alps as the place of origin.
The panels were probably used to decorate a piece of furniture, for example a cabinet or to furnish a room. Oil on panel, 12 × 17.5 cm