Joseph with Jacob in Egypt

The artwork

The boy with the black hat and the basket, sitting on the bottom step of Pharaoh's palace, is according to Vasari a portrait of the young Bronzino, Pontormo's pupil. It comes printed on handmade Amalfi paper, in a handmade frame.

• Four moments from the story of Joseph in a single painting.
• A crowded scene, lovely above a sofa or a desk.
• A gift for anyone who loves the great family stories of the Bible.

In Genesis, Joseph, who has become Pharaoh's trusted man in Egypt, is reunited with his elderly father Jacob. Pontormo divided the story into four scenes. Joseph presents his father to Pharaoh, listens from his chariot to the pleas of the hungry, climbs a staircase holding his son by the hand, and at the top right the dying Jacob blesses his grandchildren.

The panel was part of the stories of Joseph painted for the bridal chamber of Pierfrancesco Borgherini, who married in 1515. According to the National Gallery, London, which bought it in 1882, it probably dates from 1518 and is the latest and boldest panel in the series; its acid colours show the influence of Michelangelo's Sistine ceiling, unveiled in 1512.

In the shop you will also find other stories of Joseph painted by Pontormo for the same room.

In a living room or a study it is a painting to read one piece at a time. Think of it for Father's Day, or for a grandfather with many grandchildren, like Jacob.

Unique quality material

Print on handmade Amalfi paper
Sheet size: 40 x 60 cm (15.7 x 23.6 in)
Framed size: 42 x 62 cm (16.5 x 24.4 in)
Material: artwork printed on very fine handmade Amalfi paper with deckled edges
Frame: dark brown with a gold fillet, handmade, with glass