Where can I see Pontormo's Joseph in Egypt?

This painting is at the National Gallery in London. The museum purchased it in 1882, and it's considered a key example of early Mannerism.

Why does Joseph appear multiple times?

Pontormo shows Joseph four times in one scene to depict different moments in his story. He's recognizable by his ochre tunic, purple cape, and red hat throughout.

Who is the boy seated on the step?

According to Vasari, the seated boy is Bronzino, Pontormo's young apprentice. Bronzino later became a celebrated Mannerist painter himself, known for elegant court portraits.

What was this painting made for?

It was part of a bridal chamber decoration commissioned by Salvi Borgherini for his son's wedding in 1515. Several artists contributed panels depicting the life of Joseph.

Where Is Joseph in Egypt? See It at National Gallery

Pontormo rendered this notable work around 1518 as part of a decorative cycle for a Florentine bridal chamber. Salvi Borgherini commissioned multiple artists to depict scenes from the life of Joseph for his son Pierfrancesco's marriage to Margherita Acciaiuoli in 1515. Giorgio Vasari considered this panel Pontormo's work, and it demonstrates the artist's developing Mannerist style.

The painting tells Joseph's story like a sequence in a film. The figure of Joseph appears four times, always recognizable by his ochre tunic, purple cape, and red hat. Pontormo places primary colors strategically around the composition to guide your eye to the central scene. According to Vasari, the boy seated on a step is the artist's young apprentice, Bronzino, who would become a celebrated painter in his own right. The background landscape derives from a 1510 print by Lucas van Leyden.

The work breaks many rules of High Renaissance equilibrium with its crowded composition and artificial spatial relationships. Today it hangs at the National Gallery in London, which purchased it in 1882.