Joseph Interpreting the Dreams of Pharoah's Servants / Nöel Hallé
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About this Item
Record Details
- Accession Number
- 1984/1.287
- Title
- Joseph Interpreting the Dreams of Pharoah's Servants
- Artist
- Nöel Hallé
- Artist Nationality
- French
- Artist Life Dates
- 1711-1781
- Medium and Support
- oil on canvas
- Object Creation Date
- circa 1747
- Object Creation Place
- Europe (continent)
- France (nation)
- Creation Place 1
- Europe (continent)
- Creation Place 2
- France (nation)
- Style/Group/Movement
- Rococo
- Dimensions
- 112 cm x 95.8 cm (44 1/8 in. x 37 11/16 in.)
- Century
- 18th century
- Primary Object Classification
- Painting
- Primary Object Type
- historical
- Physical Description
- This painting shows the interior of a large prison room. There is a thick stone wall and iron grating. Three figures are the focal point of this composition. One man, in a dark blue cloak, is standing and faces two other men who stare intently at his face. One of them is seated with a leg iron, on a stone bench and the other leans on a stone ledge. They are are dressed in simple brown cloaks. The standing figure has a raised left arm and is gesturing with his hand outstretched toward the other figures.
- Subject Matter
- This history painting depicts a scene from the Old Testament (Genesis, Chapter 40) in which Joseph tells the Pharoah's servants what their dreams foretell. The Bible story relates that while in prison, the chief butler and chief baker to the Pharoah were troubled by their recent dreams. Joseph interpreted the butler 's dream to mean that he would be released and returned to the Pharoah's service in three days. Joseph asks the butler to remember him when that happens so that he might be released from prison. Joseph then interprets the baker's dream to mean that he will be put to death by the Pharoah in three days time. The events happened as Joseph predicted, but the chief butler forgets him and he remains imprisoned.
- The setting for this painting is the interior of a prison where Joseph, standing on the left, is shown gesturing toward the baker and butler who stare intently at his face.
- Secondary Keywords
- allegory and literature
- arms
- bible
- biological components
- buildings and the land
- components
- components and systems
- components by specific context
- correctional institutions
- document genres
- document genres by function
- genres
- information forms
- institutional buildings
- objects we use
- people
- people (agents)
- people and culture
- people and occupations
- people by gender
- religious texts
- single built works
- single built works by function
- single built works by specific type
- standing
- the human body
- upper body
- Rights
- If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit https://umma.umich.edu/about/services/request-image/ for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.
Technical Details
- Collection
- University of Michigan Museum of Art
- Image Size
- 2482 x 2895
- File Size
- 274 KB
- Record
- 1984/1.287
- Link to this Item
-
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/musart/x-1984-sl-1.287/1984_1.287.jpg
Rights and Permissions
Related Links
Portfolios
- In public portfolios
IIIF
- Manifest
-
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/i/image/api/manifest/musart:1984-SL-1.287:1984_1.287.JPG
Cite this Item
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- Full citation
-
"Joseph Interpreting the Dreams of Pharoah's Servants; Nöel Hallé." In the digital collection University of Michigan Museum of Art. https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/musart/x-1984-sl-1.287/1984_1.287.jpg. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed April 24, 2024.
