3-072-119 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

Discovery of Joseph's Silver Cup in Benjamin's Sack, c1640-1660. The theme taken from the Old Testament (Gen 44-45), is relatively rare in art. Jacob's son Joseph, sold as a slave by his brothers, with time won favours of the pharaoh and took a prominent position at his court. When his brothers arrived in Egypt to buy grain, they did not recognise him. Joseph's servants stopped Jacob's sons when they were leaving Egypt and found in their sacks Joseph's silver cup, which he had hidden there intentionally. This way, he forced his brothers to return to Egypt, where he revealed his identity and forgave them of what they had done to him in the past. The scene takes place in a spacious cave that the travellers are entering together with their animals for a night's rest. In the centre of the picture, there is a group of people standing around several pieces of luggage lying on the ground.