Description
French painter (18th century) – Joseph Thrown into the Cistern by His Brothers.
Oil on canvas, unframed.
The painting depicts the biblical episode of Joseph thrown into the cistern by his brothers (Genesis 37:23-24). The scene unfolds within an austere architectural setting, opening onto a portico with a round arch, where seven male figures gather around a large metal vessel. At the centre, young Joseph is lowered in with bound hands, while his brothers look on with varying expressions, from indifference to curiosity. The work stands out for its execution entirely in blue monochrome, a camaïeu technique common in eighteenth-century decorative painting and modelli, lending the composition an almost sculptural effect.
Condition report: Lined canvas. Good state of preservation of the pictorial surface, with traces of old restoration and wear.
