Jakob und seine Söhne empfangen von Joseph das Getreide 

Michel Corneille the Younger created this ink drawing, Jakob und seine Söhne empfangen von Joseph das Getreide. Dominating the scene is Joseph, standing tall, arms spread wide in a gesture of welcome. This very gesture—a kind of ‘showing’ or offering—traces back to antiquity, reappearing in Roman depictions of emperors distributing largesse, a motif intended to convey power and benevolence. Over time, we see it echoed in Christian art, where Christ displays his wounds, offering redemption. Consider also the motif of the supplicants, Jacob and his sons, bowing before Joseph. This act of obeisance is charged with layers of psychological tension, the recognition of authority, and the primal need for survival. The poses of the figures are reminiscent of classical images of submission to emperors, thus blending the sacred and secular worlds. These symbolic gestures and motifs, passed down through history, have resurfaced, evolved, and taken on new meanings in different historical contexts.