Children of Jacob sell his brother Joseph 1855

Konstantin Flavitsky painted "Children of Jacob sell his brother Joseph", capturing a pivotal scene from the Book of Genesis. The haggling brothers, the bound Joseph, and the approaching merchants are all heavy with meaning. Consider the motif of sibling betrayal. It echoes through time, from Cain and Abel to Romulus and Remus, resonating deeply within the human psyche. The act of selling Joseph is not merely economic, it's a primal act of rejection, a subconscious reenactment of ancient conflicts within the family structure. Notice the merchants, their presence catalyzing the brothers' dark intentions. The purse with coins is a powerful symbol, as it reduces human life to a mere commodity. This painting stirs a sense of unease, tapping into our collective memories of betrayal, jealousy, and the darker aspects of human nature. The cyclical nature of history is echoed here. Flavitsky reminds us that these patterns, both destructive and transformative, are continuously reenacted in our own time.