REGINALD ARTHUR (fl. 1881-1896)

The subject of this picture is taken from the Book of Genesis. Joseph, son of Jacob, had been sold into slavery by his brothers. He was then put into prison after Potiphar’s wife wrongly accused him of attempting to seduce her. There he gained a reputation as an interpreter of dreams. Pharoah’s butler, who had been in prison with Joseph but was subsequently restored to office, mentioned Joseph’s talent to Pharoah who summoned him after a particularly troubling dream. Seven lean cattle devoured seven fat cattle, and seven thin ears of corn devoured seven full ones. Joseph foretold seven good harvests followed by seven disastrous ones. Joseph was subsequently appointed Pharoah’s chief administrator and saved Egypt from famine. The episode was seen to pre-figure Christ feeding the multitude with five loaves and two fishes.

Dated 1893 and 1894, Arthur’s picture pre-dates Ernest Normand’s monumental masterpiece Bondage, offered from the collection of the Royal Cornwall Museum, at Christie’s, London, 15 June 2010, lot 40. Although Normand’s setting is more Babylonian than Egyptian, the motifs and dimensions of the frame are comparable.