Artwork

Joseph Crying in his Chamber after Having Seen his Brother Benjamin Again

Joseph Crying in his Chamber after Having Seen his Brother Benjamin Again is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Arent de Gelder. It dates from 1693 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.

About this work

Overview

Arent de Gelder’s 1693 oil painting, *Joseph Crying in his Chamber after Having Seen his Brother Benjamin Again*, belongs to the Dutch Golden Age. Executed in the manner of Rembrandt’s later works, the canvas is part of the Statens Museum for Kunst’s collection.

Subject & Meaning

The composition captures the biblical patriarch Joseph at a moment of private sorrow, having just been reunited with his brother Benjamin. His tearful expression conveys the emotional weight of the reunion after years of separation.

Technique & Style

De Gelder employs a stark chiaroscuro, allowing a concentrated light source to illuminate Joseph’s face, fur‑trimmed coat and chain, while the surrounding interior recedes into darkness. The contrast heightens the figure’s emotional intensity and underscores the painter’s inheritance of Rembrandt’s late‑period techniques.

History & Provenance

Created toward the end of de Gelder’s career, the work remained in private hands before entering the Statens Museum for Kunst, where it is displayed as part of the museum’s Dutch Baroque holdings.

Artist & collection

Artist

Arent de Gelder

Aert de Gelder (Dutch: ; October 26, 1645 – August 27, 1727) was a Dutch painter, the only Dutch artist to paint in the tradition of Rembrandt's late style into the 18th century.