Jozef verklaart de dromen van de farao 1615

Orazio Borgianni created this print, "Joseph Interprets the Pharaoh's Dreams," sometime around the early 17th century. At first glance, the composition is sharply divided. On the left, we see Pharaoh, enthroned and contemplative, juxtaposed against Joseph explaining the dreams to a group of figures to the right. The architecture frames and contains the narrative, yet the two circular vignettes disrupt this sense of order. They are dreamscapes, each rendered with a different spatial logic, challenging the unified perspective of the main scene. These disrupt the conventional pictorial space. Consider also the use of line. The stark hatching creates a sense of depth, while the figures are delineated with sharp, unwavering outlines. What emerges is a carefully constructed visual argument about divine knowledge and earthly power. The artist is inviting us to consider how power is legitimized through interpretation, a recurring theme in art and politics alike.