Joseph Interpreting the Dreams of Pharoah's Chief Butler and Baker
Medium
Etching and engraving
Dimensions
Sheet: 15 3/16 x 19 5/16 in. (38.5 x 49 cm) Leaf: 28 15/16 × 20 1/2 in. (73.5 × 52 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1925
Accession Number
25.62.2v
Tags
Art Historical Context
This striking print captures a pivotal biblical moment from the Book of Genesis, where Joseph, imprisoned in Egypt, interprets the prophetic dreams of Pharaoh’s chief butler and baker. The scene highlights Joseph’s gift of divine insight, foreshadowing his rise to power. Created between 1766 and 1767 as an and engraving, the work combines the precision of engraving with the fluid lines of etching, techniques that allowed for rich tonal contrasts and intricate details in 18th-century reproductive prints. Likely produced after a composition by Jusepe de Ribera (called Lo Spagnoletto), whose dra...
About the Artist
Frederick Ponsonby, 3rd Earl of Bessborough|Alexander Bannerman|Jusepe de Ribera (called Lo Spagnoletto)|John Boydell ( |Spanish|British|British) · 1758 |1591 |1725 |1720 –1844 |1652 |1792 |1804
|Spanish, Játiva 1591–1652 Naples|British, born Cambridge ca. 1730, active through 1792|British, Dorrington, Shropshire 1720–1804 London