Jacob Persuaded to Send Benjamin with His Brethren into Egypt

Art Historical Context

In the National Gallery of Art's collection, *Jacob Persuaded to Send Benjamin with Histhren into Egypt* (1762) captures a biblical moment from Genesis 42–43. The scene depicts the aging patriarch Jacob reluctantly agreeing to send his youngest son Benjamin to Egypt amid famine, surrounded by his other sons who plead their case. This print is William Wynne Ryland's reproduction of a composition by Sir Anthony van Dy, the 17th-century Flemish Baroque master renowned for his dramatic religious narratives and elegant figures infused with emotion and light. Ryland, a leading English engraver of the 18th century, employed innovative stipple etching and roulette techniques on laid paper to mimic van Dyck's painterly brushstrokes. Stipple uses fine dots for subtle tonal gradations, while the roulette—a toothed wheel—creates textured lines for softness and depth, producing a velvety, almost tonal quality rare in prints of the era. At 30.7 × 30.7 cm, this square plate allowed affordable dissemination of van Dyck's grandeur to collectors and the emerging middle class, bridging Baroque opulence with Enlightenment tastes. Part of the Ellwanger/Mescha Collection (Department CG-E), this work highlights printmaking's role in democratizing art history, preserving van Dyck's legacy through Ryland's technical virtuosity. Visitors will appreciate its emotional intensity and the engraver's skill in translating oil on canvas into enduring ink.