JORDAENS, Jacob
(b. 1593, Antwerpen, d. 1678, Antwerpen)

The Ferry Boat to Antwerp

c. 1623
Oil on canvas, 280 x 467 cm
Statens Museum for Kunst, Copenhagen

The right side of the huge painting contains the biblical scene of the Tribute Money: apostle Peter on the lake at Capernaum miraculously finds a coin in the mouth of the first fish to bite. The coin allows Jesus and his disciples to pay compulsory tribute money to the temple in Jerusalem. The ferryboat, heavily loaded with animals and passengers of all ages and nationalities, takes up the greater part of the canvas.