Who painted Joseph's Brothers Find the Silver Goblet in Benjamin's Sack?

Alexander Ivanov painted Joseph's Brothers Find the Silver Goblet in Benjamin's Sack in 1831.

What Bible passage does Joseph's Brothers Find the Silver Goblet in Benjamin's Sack depict?

Joseph's Brothers Find the Silver Goblet in Benjamin's Sack depicts the biblical scene from Genesis 44:1-13.

Joseph's Brothers Find the Silver Goblet in Benjamin's Sack by Alexander Ivanov

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This work A. Ivanov wrote during his stay in Italy. In search of a plot, Ivanov writes a sketch according to the Old Testament legend from the life of Joseph the Beautiful.

The artist depicts the moment when the servants find in the bag of the youngest of Joseph's brothers - Benjamin, an allegedly stolen silver bowl. Joseph was once sold into slavery by his brothers, informing his father of his death. Joseph became a noble man in Egypt. Upon learning that his brothers arrived in the country with commercial matters, he invited them to his place, sheltered and fed him. Conceiving the trick, Joseph ordered the servant to put a silver bowl in the bag of the youngest of the Benjamin brothers to accuse him of theft and keep it at home. The brothers are desperate. One of them, Judas, offers himself into slavery instead of Benjamin. He knows that the father will not survive the loss of his beloved youngest son. Moved by the sacrifice of Judah, Joseph reveals himself to his brothers.

The picture is made in the style of academism. Despite the fact that we have a sketch, the artist was able to convey the emotional intensity of the scene. Particularly expressive is the figure of Jude in the center of the composition. In desperation, he tears his clothes. His face expresses pain and hopelessness. He faces a painful inner choice. A frightened Benjamin clings to him. Other brothers are at a loss. They are pointed by a hand filled with the dignity of the servant Joseph.

A. Ivanov received positive reviews for his studies from his father, a professor of painting, and then famous artists, the Italian Kammuchini and the German Overbeck. However, the plan was not destined to translate into a full-fledged work. A. Ivanov decided to write a grandiose painting The Appearance of Christ to the People. Work on it distracted the painter from other projects.

Details

Artist: Alexander Ivanov
Created: 1831 - 1833
Medium: oil on canvas
Dimension: 63cm × 50cm
Passage: Genesis 44:1-13
Housed at: Tretyakov Gallery Lavrushinsky pereulok 10, Moscow

Found in: Genesis, Genesis 44, 19th century, Joseph (O.T.)

Genesis 44:1-13

1 He commanded the steward of his house, saying, “Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man’s money in his sack’s mouth.

2 Put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack’s mouth of the youngest, with his grain money.” He did according to the word that Joseph had spoken.

3 As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their donkeys.

4 When they had gone out of the city, and were not yet far off, Joseph said to his steward, “Up, follow after the men. When you overtake them, ask them, ‘Why have you rewarded evil for good?

5 Isn’t this that from which my lord drinks, and by which he indeed divines? You have done evil in so doing.’”

6 He overtook them, and he spoke these words to them.

7 They said to him, “Why does my lord speak such words as these? Far be it from your servants that they should do such a thing!

8 Behold, the money, which we found in our sacks’ mouths, we brought again to you out of the land of Canaan. How then should we steal silver or gold out of your lord’s house?

9 With whomever of your servants it is found, let him die, and we also will be my lord’s slaves.”

10 He said, “Now also let it be according to your words: he with whom it is found will be my slave; and you will be blameless.”

11 Then they hurried, and each man took his sack down to the ground, and each man opened his sack.

12 He searched, beginning with the oldest, and ending at the youngest. The cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.

13 Then they tore their clothes, and each man loaded his donkey, and returned to the city.

Genesis 44:1-13 · World English Bible

The artist

Alexander Ivanov

1806 - 1858

Saint Petersburg, Russia

Alexander Andreyevich Ivanov was a Russian painter who adhered to the waning tradition of Neoclassicism but found little sympathy with his contemporaries. He was born and died in St. Petersburg.