| Joseph the Carpenter | |
|---|---|
| Artist | Georges de La Tour |
| Year | 1642 |
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 130 cm × 100 cm (51+1⁄8 in × 31+3⁄4 in) |
| Location | Louvre,Paris |
Joseph the Carpenter is anoil painting byGeorges de La Tour createdcirca 1642.[1][2] The painting depicts a youngJesus withSaint Joseph, his earthly father.[2][3]
Joseph drills a piece of wood with anauger.[2] The shape of the auger reflects the shape of theCross and the geometry of the wood arrayed on the floor, set cross-wise to the seated child Christ, is a foreshadowing of thecrucifixion.[4] John Rupert Martin writes that Jesus' patience represents "filial obedience and the acceptance of his destiny as martyr".[4]
This painting, created ca. 1642,[1] is one of severaltenebrist paintings by La Tour. Others includeThe Education of the Virgin, thePenitent Magdalene, andThe Dream of Saint Joseph. In all these works, a single, strong light source is a central element, surrounded by cast shadows. In bothJoseph the Carpenter andThe Education of the Virgin, the young Christ is represented, hand raised, as if inbenediction, with the candlelight shining through the flesh as anallegorical reference to Christ as the "Light of the World."
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