Who painted Joseph's Dream?

Georges de La Tour painted Joseph's Dream in 1630.

What Bible passage does Joseph's Dream depict?

Joseph's Dream depicts the biblical scene from Matthew 1:18-25.

Where is Joseph's Dream located?

Joseph's Dream is housed at Musée des beaux-arts, Palais des ducs et des Etats de Bourgogne, Dijon.

Joseph's Dream by Georges de La Tour

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The Dream of Saint Joseph is an oil on canvas painting created between 1628 and 1645 by the French Baroque painter Georges de La Tour which is now in the collection of the Musée d'Arts de Nantes.

The painting depicts Saint Joseph, the father of Jesus, being visited in a dream by an angel with a message. According to the New Testament he was actually visited four times with various messages and it is not clear in this case which visit is being portrayed. It is most likely to represent the second visit in which Joseph is advised to leave Bethlehem and seek sanctuary for the Holy Family in Egypt.

Typical of many of de La Tour's works, a chiaroscuro effect is achieved by lighting the scene with a candle.

Details

Artist: Georges de La Tour
Created: 1630 - 1635
Medium: oil on canvas
Dimension: 82cm × 93cm
Passage: Matthew 1:18-25
Housed at: Musée des beaux-arts Palais des ducs et des Etats de Bourgogne, Dijon

Found in: Matthew, Matthew 1, 17th century, Gabriel, The Birth of Jesus

Matthew 1:18-25

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was like this: After his mother, Mary, was engaged to Joseph, before they came together, she was found pregnant by the Holy Spirit.

19 Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, intended to put her away secretly.

20 But when he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take to yourself Mary, your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.

21 She shall give birth to a son. You shall call his name Jesus, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins.”

22 Now all this has happened, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying,

23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall give birth to a son. They shall call his name Immanuel”; which is, being interpreted, “God with us.”

24 Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took his wife to himself;

25 and didn’t know her sexually until she had given birth to her firstborn son. He named him Jesus.

Matthew 1:18-25 · World English Bible

The artist

Georges de La Tour

1593 - 1652

Vic-sur-Seille, Italy

Georges de La Tour (March 13, 1593 – January 30, 1652) was a French Baroque painter, who spent most of his working life in the Duchy of Lorraine, which was temporarily absorbed into France between 1641 and 1648. He painted mostly religious chiaroscuro scenes lit by candlelight.