Joseph Explaining his Dreams
Medium
Engraving on paper
Dimensions
23.4 × 37.5 cm (9 1/4 × 14 13/16 in.)
Classification
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
79901
Art Historical Context
Nicolas Beatrizet’s 1541 engraving “Joseph Explaining his Dreams” a pivotal moment from the story of Joseph in Genesis. The young Joseph is shown recounting his prophetic visions to his family, an episode that sets the dramatic events of his life in motion. Created as a print on paper measuring roughly 23 by 37 centimeters, the work exemplifies the growing importance of engraving in the mid-sixteenth century as a means of sharing religious narratives with a wide audience. As an engraving, the piece highlights the precision and expressive potential of the medium, which allowed artists to rende...