(b. 1494, Firenze, d. 1557, Firenze)

Scenes from the Story of Joseph: Joseph Sold by His Brethren 1515-16 Oil on wood transferred to canvas, 26 x 14 cm Galleria Borghese, Rome

This painting belongs to a series of six Scenes from the Story of Joseph painted by Bachiacca for the wedding chamber of the Florentine Pier Francesco Borgherini, who married Maddalena Acciaiuoli in 1515. Four of the six panels are in the Galleria Borghese, while the other two (Joseph Makes Himself Known to His Brethren and The Second Visit of His Brethren to Egypt) are in the National Gallery in London. Other painters (Andrea del Sarto, Francesco Granacci and Pontormo) also contributed to this commission with works devoted to the same figure from the Old Testament. The pictures were used to decorate the furniture of the chamber.

Stylistically, the influence of Northern European painting and engraving (in particular Altdorfer and Lucas van Leyden), is evident in the strong chiaroscuro of the figures, the styles of their dress and the landscape.

The scenes from the story of Joseph, son of Jacob, were popular subjects in religious painting, partly because the patriarch was considered a prefiguration of Christ. Despite the presence of the same figures, recognizable by their features and the clothes they are wearing, the identification of the episodes from the Bible story, often combined in a single panel, is controversial.

--- Keywords: --------------

Author: BACCHIACCA Title: Scenes from the Story of Joseph: Joseph Sold by His Brethren Time-line: 1501-1550 School: Italian Form: painting