Pedro Orrente (1580-1645), Circle Of Joseph Sold By His Brothers

Oil on canvas. Lined canvas. Conservative restorations. This magnificent scene, which powerfully recounts the passage from Genesis where young Joseph is betrayed and sold by his brothers, is fully in keeping with the tradition of the great Murcian master Pedro de Orrente. Considered the "Spanish Bassano," Orrente introduced to the Iberian Peninsula a depth of composition and a Venetian-inspired naturalism, which is manifested here in the masterful arrangement of figures on different planes, creating a choreography of gestures and glances that underscores the dramatic tension of the moment. The scene not only captures the physical exchange but also elevates the narrative through a warm and vibrant color palette, where the interplay of light and shadow—characteristic of the tenebrism Orrento adopted after his time in Italy—lends volume and an almost palpable presence to the clothing and musculature of the figures. In this work, the brilliance of the composition lies in its ability to integrate the biblical episode with everyday elements, giving the fratricidal jealousy a profoundly moving human and earthly dimension. The details, from the polychrome tunic on the left to the presence of the dog and horse that complete the frame, reveal Orrento's particular sensitivity to the picturesque and the rural, elevating the sacred narrative to the level of an epic. The masterful way in which the background landscape is articulated, opening the dense central scene to a suggestive atmosphere, confirms the influence of expressionist realism of an era that found in painting a perfect synthesis between religious fervor and the beauty of reality. - Image dimensions without frame: 126 x 57.5 cm / 137.5 x 69 cm with an exclusive, custom-made, antique-inspired frame.