Joseph as a carpenter
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| Joseph as a carpenter |
|---|
| Georges de la Tour , around 1640 |
| oil |
| Louvre |
Joseph as a carpenter is a painting by the French painter Georges de la Tour .
description
The picture shows an old man and a child at work in a dark room. The old man is bending down to work on a piece of wood and at the same time has raised his eyes in the direction of the boy's face, which is brightly lit by a candle. The light makes the child's head the center of the picture.
background
In Lorraine at the time of de la Tours, the Franciscan Pierre Fourier preached on the " great learned and admirable carpenter " Joseph , the father of Jesus. His profession is indicated in the New Testament with the Greek word "Tekton" (Mt 13:55), which means "builder", but also "architect" or "builder" and included all activities in house building. In the Gospel of Luke, Joseph is mentioned for the last time when he and Mary find the lost twelve-year-old Jesus in the temple of Jerusalem. From this one concludes that he died before Jesus appeared in public.
comment
As in many pictures de la Tours, the light and its effects are of particular importance. His night pieces are kept dark throughout and only lit by candles.
literature
- Wieland Schmied (Ed.): Harenberg Museum of Painting. 525 masterpieces from seven centuries. Harenberg, Dortmund 1999, ISBN 3-611-00814-1