Rachel en Lea, de vrouwen van Jakob. NL-HlmNHA 1477 53010697

Two women are shown in a close embrace, with the figure on the right holding a mandrake root. In the background, Jacob tends a flock of sheep near a well while an angel descends from the clouds on a ray of light. The work is characterized by the dynamic, swelling line work and muscular anatomy typical of late sixteenth-century Dutch engraving.

In the Renaissance and Neoplatonic traditions, Rachel and Leah were frequently interpreted as allegories for the 'Contemplative Life' and the 'Active Life,' respectively. The mandrake root they hold refers to the biblical narrative of fertility but also carries significant weight in early modern botanical and magical lore.