Joseph and His Brothers XVI 1966

Curator: This is "Joseph and His Brothers XVI," an engraving from 1966 by Peter Lipman-Wulf. There’s such a sense of anguish in the upward reaching gestures. What strikes you most about this piece? Editor: The composition, first off. There's a clear division between the frenetic group on the left and the solitary figure on the right, also that yellow-and-white "squares" which I can't make sense of. What is the meaning of it all? Curator: Consider the tonal values—the artist uses chiaroscuro to create depth, highlighting the emotional weight of each figure. Do you observe how the darker shades create a somber atmosphere, while the areas with less tonality point to "holes" inside the right-side figure, creating an emphasis through void? Editor: I do. The dark and light definitely create that sense of division, a "before" and "after," but what are those yellow spots there for? It looks like it’s tearing away to show a… a new self, perhaps? Curator: Interesting. That "new self" may not be the ultimate answer but let’s engage with its materiality. Engraving is a subtractive process. What does the removal of material from the plate to create this image suggest to you about the narrative? Editor: That there has been some removal too? Like parts have been erased in his life? Joseph has been erased, maybe, from his father's life, represented in the engraving. Curator: Exactly! That process mimics the emotional and physical displacement inherent in the story, underscoring themes of absence and transformation. What do we think is the effect that using simple lines adds to the tone and overall composition? Editor: I can see that by limiting his tonal range to mostly grays and using only some yellows, Lipman-Wulf highlights the turmoil in a somber and direct manner. It almost feels raw, and incomplete, but with meaning to be found. Thanks for shedding light on this technique. Curator: Indeed, the "absence" of colors is itself evocative! Considering art as something greater, a product of the creator himself, the form mirrors its content. The interplay of formal elements like line, tone, and composition offers a rich field of interpretation beyond narrative alone.