Who painted Joseph Selling Corn in Egypt?

Joseph Selling Corn in Egypt was painted by Pieter Lastman in 1612.

Where can I see Joseph Selling Corn in Egypt?

Joseph Selling Corn in Egypt is held by National Gallery of Ireland.

What movement is Joseph Selling Corn in Egypt?

Joseph Selling Corn in Egypt is associated with Early Baroque Italian.

Joseph Selling Corn in Egypt by Pieter Lastman (1612)

About this work

Subject & Meaning

Pieter Lastman's 1612 painting depicts the Old Testament patriarch Joseph during his years of authority in Roman Egypt, shown selling corn (maize), a subject drawn from the Book of Genesis, where Joseph, sold into slavery by his brothers and risen to power under Pharaoh, stockpiles and distributes grain during a famine. The scene belongs to the tradition of religious art and reflects the biblical narrative of divine providence, stewardship, and the survival of peoples through famine relief. The depiction of maize, a New World crop, alongside an ancient Egyptian setting illustrates how 17th-century Dutch painters often transposed biblical stories into contemporary visual terms familiar to their viewers.

Technique & Style

These formal choices contribute to the painting’s overall emphasis on narrative clarity and material presence.

The work is executed in oil paint on a wooden panel, measuring 58 cm in height by 87 cm in width. Lastman renders the biblical narrative with careful attention to spatial clarity and drapery, employing a naturalistic modeling of figures that anticipates Baroque compositional balance. The handling of light across the corn sheaves and the architectural backdrop demonstrates a precise use of linear perspective, while the textured application of paint conveys the tactile quality of both fabric and grain. These formal choices contribute to the painting’s overall emphasis on narrative clarity and material presence.

History & Provenance

Joseph Selling Corn in Egypt is a religious painting by Pieter Lastman, dated 1612 and executed in oil paint on panel. The work was created in that year and subsequently entered the collection of the National Gallery of Ireland, where it remains held. The painting measures 58 cm in height by 87 cm in width.

No further details about a specific commission, prior ownership, or chain of custody are documented in the available sources.

The painting Joseph Selling Corn in Egypt is held by the National Gallery of Ireland, where it is accessioned under the institution’s collection inventory. It was created in 1612 by Pieter Lastman, depicting a biblical scene of Joseph distributing corn during a famine in Roman Egypt. The work has been part of the National Gallery of Ireland’s permanent display since its acquisition, contributing to exhibitions focused on religious art of the Dutch Golden Age.

Its exhibition history includes presentations within the gallery’s curated thematic shows on biblical narratives and European religious painting.

Legacy

Joseph Selling Corn in Egypt (1612) by Pieter Lastman influenced Baroque narrative painting through its vivid storytelling and compositional clarity. The work's depiction of biblicalJoseph distributing grain resonated with later religious scenes emphasizing divine providence and material abundance. Its visual language informed contemporary interpretations of scriptural abundance in Counter-Reformation contexts, cementing its reputation as a key example of narrative biblical art.

The painting remains part of the National Gallery of Ireland's collection, preserving its legacy as both an artistic and theological reference point.

Overview

Pieter Lastman’s oil painting Joseph Selling Corn in Egypt was completed in 1612. The work portrays a bustling biblical scene set in Roman‑era Egypt, where the figure of Joseph stands central amid a crowd of merchants, kneeling figures, and domestic animals. The composition is anchored by architectural elements, including a column and distant buildings, and is now part of the National Gallery of Ireland’s collection.

Christian deeds of mercy (Matthew 25:35-36), Frans Francken I

Artist & collection

Artist

Pieter Lastman

Pieter Lastman (1583–1633) was a Dutch painter. Lastman is considered important because of his work as a painter of history pieces and because his pupils included Rembrandt and Jan Lievens. In his paintings Lastman paid…