Jacob Wrestling with the Angel

Jacob Wrestling with the Angel is a large mural in the Chapel of Holy Angels at Saint-Sulpice Church, depicting the biblical scene with powerful figures. The work combines oil, plaster, and wax to create a complex surface texture that reveals different details depending on viewing angle.

Eugene Delacroix created this monumental work between 1849 and 1861, using technical innovations that combined oil with experimental materials. This creation period shaped 19th-century art and made the work a reference point for large-scale religious painting.

The painting depicts a biblical moment from Genesis where Jakob wrestles with an angel during the night, experiencing inner transformation. This dramatic representation carries spiritual meaning that visitors can witness directly while moving through the chapel space.

The painting can be viewed during regular opening hours of Saint-Sulpice Church in the Chapel of Holy Angels. The best light for observing fine details comes in the morning or early afternoon when natural light filters through the chapel windows.

The work shows Jakob and the angel in a position that looks more like actual wrestling than a gentle encounter, conveying the physical intensity of the spiritual struggle. This unusually powerful depiction stands apart from other religious interpretations of the same scene.

Location: 6th arrondissement of Paris

Inception: 1860

Creator: Eugène Delacroix

Height: 751 cm

Width: 485 cm

Made from material: oil paint, plaster, wax

Part of: paintings by Delacroix in Saint-Sulpice

GPS coordinates: 48.85078,2.33438

Latest update: December 8, 2025 19:43