3-042-656 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

Scenes from the Life of Joseph; Wenceslaus Psalter, about 1250-1260. Additional Info: The eight scenes on this page tell the story of the life of Joseph, beginning in the upper left corner with the young Joseph bringing food to his brothers. Continuing the narrative down the left side of the miniature, Joseph's jealous brothers strip him of his multi-colored coat and throw him into a well. On the right side of the page, Joseph is pulled out of the well and sold into slavery by a tribe of merchants. The two center roundels depict the brothers dousing Joseph's jacket in the blood of a sheep and presenting it to their father as proof of Joseph's death. The series of roundels and partial roundels, which recalls the colors and layout of contemporary stained-glass windows, contrasts Joseph's kind gesture with the despicable treatment he receives in return.