Nicolas Beatrizet (French, 1515-1565)
after Raffaello Sanzio, called Raphael (Italian, 1483-1520)
Joseph Explaining his Dreams
INV-7990
Nicolas Beatrizet (French, 1515-1565)
after Raffaello Sanzio, called Raphael (Italian, 1483-1520)1541
Joseph Explaining his Dreams
Nicolas Beatrizet (French, 1515-1565) after Raffaello Sanzio, called Raphael (Italian, 1483-1520) →printprints and drawing
Date
1541
Medium
Engraving on paper
Dimensions
23.4 × 37.5 cm (9 1/4 × 14 13/16 in.)
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Location
Chicago, IL
Credit
The Wallace L. DeWolf and Joseph Brooks Fair Collections
Raphael’s fresco from the Vatican Loggia represents an Old Testament narrative from Genesis 37, in which Joseph, the youngest and favorite son of Jacob, ill-advisedly told his 11 brothers about his dreams: in the two hovering circles, 11 sheaves of wheat, representing the other brothers, bow down to Joseph’s sheaf; then even the sun, moon, and stars bow to Joseph. Joseph’s jealous siblings sold him into slavery in Egypt, where he impressed Pharaoh with the same prophetic gifts, saving the realm from a famine. Coming to Egypt to beg for food, Joseph’s impoverished brothers eventually bowed down to him as he had foreseen.