Jozef verdeelt het graan in Egypte 1609 - 1659

Bartholomeus Breenbergh created this etching titled 'Jozef verdeelt het graan in Egypte' featuring linear patterns and classical architecture. The composition is split into two scenes. On the left, a raised platform displays figures in shadow watching Joseph overseeing the distribution of grain to the people in the foreground. The arrangement and tonal control creates depth. On the right we see the people receiving the grain in front of a cityscape. This layout suggests a staged approach, contrasting authority with the common person. Breenbergh's use of hatching and cross-hatching, creates the illusion of three-dimensionality and texture. This play of light and shadow engages with the architectural and cultural context and the semiotic system of signs, such as clothing and setting, all contributing to the narrative. The formal qualities of line and form are key to understanding how Breenbergh engages with ideas about power, trade, and civilization. The ordered composition and spatial arrangement communicates a discourse between the material and the symbolic.