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Lot Essay
Specialists in the field have, upon seeing the drawing, confirmed the attribution, and date it to circa 1634-5.
Peter Schatborn points out that the central standing figure in the present lot is closely comparable to a number of drawings that can be securely given to Rembrandt: the Study for Jacob Lamenting and Christ carrying the Cross of circa 1635, as well as the double sided drawing of The Lamentation of Christ with Three Couples of Soldiers and Women, (Benesch, op.cit., nos. 95, 97 and 100, figs. 112, 114 and 117-8), all in the Kupferstichkabinett, Berlin. The handling of the central figure and the shading with diagonal hatching using a thick pen is similar to that in Rembrandt's Boaz and Ruth of circa 1636-7 (Benesch, op.cit., no. 133, fig. 160), also in Berlin. The leaning figure in the present lot is further comparable to that in the background of the drawing of Two Men in discussion, a third listening to them at Chatsworth of circa 1637 (Benesch, op.cit., no. 142, figs. 169-70), which is connected to secured drawings in Berlin (Benesch, op.cit., nos. 140-1, figs. 167-8).
Schatborn compares the figure of Joseph, which is more finished than the others, to that in Joseph telling his Dreams in the Chicago Art Institute (Benesch, op.cit., no. 80, fig. 93). It belongs to a group of pen drawings of biblical scenes dated to the 1630s of which the attribution has been doubted, along with Christ in the House of Mary and Martha in the Teyler Museum, Haarlem, Benesch, op.cit., no. 79, fig. 92; M. Plomp, The Dutch Drawings in the Teyler Museum, Haarlem Ghent Doornspijk, 1997, II, pp. 292-3, no. 322 (as Rembrandt). Although the Teyler drawing was regarded as by Rembrandt in the 17th Century, it has been doubted since the early 20th Century. For this group, Schatborn has suggested an alternative attribution to Rembrandt's pupil Govaert Flinck (1615/6-1660), whose apprenticeship probably lasted from circa 1633 to 1636. Other drawings from that group are The Angel taking leave of Manoah in the Museum Boymans-van Beuningen, Rotterdam, and Christ Walking on the Waves in the British Museum, London.
This intimate drawing shows Joseph, who had been sold by his brothers and put into prison by the doing of Potiphar's wife, in a cell, interpreting the dreams of the King of Egypt's butler and baker. He explained to the butler that his master will reinstate him in his function within three days, while the baker's dream implies that he will be hung within three days. The subject, from Genesis 40, 1-20, was treated by Rembrandt several times. The figures in the present drawing have the same position as those in Rembrandt's drawing of this subject of the early 1650s in the Rijksprentenkabinet, Amsterdam, P. Schatborn, Drawings by Rembrandt, his anonymous pupils and followers, The Hague, 1985, pp. 92-3, no. 42. There also, the butler is listening, seated close to Joseph, while the baker, unaware of his fate, is standing nearby, leaning on a sidewall. The subsidiary study of an arm gesturing stresses the artist's intention to express Joseph's authority. It is only this figure that has been finished in more detail than the others, standing out in the lightly sketched drawing.
The drawing of the same subject, sold in these Rooms, 25 November 1992, lot 559 (now in the J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles), may be dated to just after that on the verso of Rembrandt's drawing of the Artist drawing from a Model of circa 1639 in the British Museum, Benesch, op.cit., no. 423, fig. 510; M. Royalton-Kisch, Drawings by Rembrandt and his Circle in the British Museum, London, 1992, no. 27, illustrated. In these drawings Joseph is, in contrast to the present drawing, shown standing, while the Butler and Baker are seated below him.
A number of Rembrandt's pupils also depicted this scene, among which Ferdinand Bol, E. Schaar, Rembrandt und sein Jahrhundert, Niederländische Zeichnungen in der Hamburger Kunsthalle, exhib. catalogue, Hamburg, 1994/5, no. 19, illustrated p. 31.
Peter Schatborn points out that the central standing figure in the present lot is closely comparable to a number of drawings that can be securely given to Rembrandt: the Study for Jacob Lamenting and Christ carrying the Cross of circa 1635, as well as the double sided drawing of The Lamentation of Christ with Three Couples of Soldiers and Women, (Benesch, op.cit., nos. 95, 97 and 100, figs. 112, 114 and 117-8), all in the Kupferstichkabinett, Berlin. The handling of the central figure and the shading with diagonal hatching using a thick pen is similar to that in Rembrandt's Boaz and Ruth of circa 1636-7 (Benesch, op.cit., no. 133, fig. 160), also in Berlin. The leaning figure in the present lot is further comparable to that in the background of the drawing of Two Men in discussion, a third listening to them at Chatsworth of circa 1637 (Benesch, op.cit., no. 142, figs. 169-70), which is connected to secured drawings in Berlin (Benesch, op.cit., nos. 140-1, figs. 167-8).
Schatborn compares the figure of Joseph, which is more finished than the others, to that in Joseph telling his Dreams in the Chicago Art Institute (Benesch, op.cit., no. 80, fig. 93). It belongs to a group of pen drawings of biblical scenes dated to the 1630s of which the attribution has been doubted, along with Christ in the House of Mary and Martha in the Teyler Museum, Haarlem, Benesch, op.cit., no. 79, fig. 92; M. Plomp, The Dutch Drawings in the Teyler Museum, Haarlem Ghent Doornspijk, 1997, II, pp. 292-3, no. 322 (as Rembrandt). Although the Teyler drawing was regarded as by Rembrandt in the 17th Century, it has been doubted since the early 20th Century. For this group, Schatborn has suggested an alternative attribution to Rembrandt's pupil Govaert Flinck (1615/6-1660), whose apprenticeship probably lasted from circa 1633 to 1636. Other drawings from that group are The Angel taking leave of Manoah in the Museum Boymans-van Beuningen, Rotterdam, and Christ Walking on the Waves in the British Museum, London.
This intimate drawing shows Joseph, who had been sold by his brothers and put into prison by the doing of Potiphar's wife, in a cell, interpreting the dreams of the King of Egypt's butler and baker. He explained to the butler that his master will reinstate him in his function within three days, while the baker's dream implies that he will be hung within three days. The subject, from Genesis 40, 1-20, was treated by Rembrandt several times. The figures in the present drawing have the same position as those in Rembrandt's drawing of this subject of the early 1650s in the Rijksprentenkabinet, Amsterdam, P. Schatborn, Drawings by Rembrandt, his anonymous pupils and followers, The Hague, 1985, pp. 92-3, no. 42. There also, the butler is listening, seated close to Joseph, while the baker, unaware of his fate, is standing nearby, leaning on a sidewall. The subsidiary study of an arm gesturing stresses the artist's intention to express Joseph's authority. It is only this figure that has been finished in more detail than the others, standing out in the lightly sketched drawing.
The drawing of the same subject, sold in these Rooms, 25 November 1992, lot 559 (now in the J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles), may be dated to just after that on the verso of Rembrandt's drawing of the Artist drawing from a Model of circa 1639 in the British Museum, Benesch, op.cit., no. 423, fig. 510; M. Royalton-Kisch, Drawings by Rembrandt and his Circle in the British Museum, London, 1992, no. 27, illustrated. In these drawings Joseph is, in contrast to the present drawing, shown standing, while the Butler and Baker are seated below him.
A number of Rembrandt's pupils also depicted this scene, among which Ferdinand Bol, E. Schaar, Rembrandt und sein Jahrhundert, Niederländische Zeichnungen in der Hamburger Kunsthalle, exhib. catalogue, Hamburg, 1994/5, no. 19, illustrated p. 31.