Jacob Recognizing the Robe of His Son Joseph c. 1791

Jean-Jacques Forty's "Jacob Recognizing the Robe of His Son Joseph," painted around 1791, depicts the biblical scene of Jacob, the patriarch of the Israelites, recognizing the bloodstained robe of his son Joseph. The artist uses a dramatic composition to emphasize the emotional turmoil of the moment, with Jacob reaching out towards the bloody garment while his other sons look on with fear and apprehension. This work is a powerful depiction of the grief and despair that can accompany loss, as well as the enduring power of family bonds. The Minneapolis Institute of Art houses this masterpiece of Neoclassical painting.