Bible in art · Genesis

Joseph Interprets Pharaoh's Dreams

Gustave Doré · 1866 (designs for La Sainte Bible, Tours); this printing 1873–1874
National Library of Poland, Warsaw

Doré had studied the books and photographs of Egyptian temples that were popular in his day, and here he builds a whole hall from them. The engravers Pannemaker and Doms cut the walls of hieroglyphs in fine, even lines.

Pharaoh sits on a high throne, his head resting on his hand. Before him young Joseph, in a plain white tunic, spreads his hands as he explains. Courtiers, priests and guards with spears crowd around, and tall feather fans rise above the throne. Huge columns with flower-shaped tops stand at the right.

From the text

Joseph “had shaved and changed his clothes” before going in to Pharaoh (Genesis 41:14)
“The dreams of Pharaoh are one and the same” (Genesis 41:25)
Seven years of abundance, then seven of famine (Genesis 41:29–30)

The artist’s own

An Egyptian hall copied from the great temples, with papyrus columns, hieroglyphs, a winged sun and an ankh
Feather fans and a crowd of courtiers around the throne

Details

Pharaoh

The king sits on a high throne, his head resting on his hand.

Joseph

A young man in a white tunic spreads his hands as he speaks.

The columns

Massive columns with flower-shaped tops, as in Egyptian temples.

The wall

Rows of hieroglyphs and a winged sun cover the wall.

Gustave Doré, French, 1832–1883. National Library of Poland (Biblioteka Narodowa), Warsaw — «Pismo Święte Starego i Nowego Testamentu», vol. 1, Warsaw: M. Glücksberg, 1873 (acc. 75.267 A), tabl. 27 · Wood engraving after Gustave Doré’s design · National Library of Poland (Polona): the record of the volume gives the licence «Domena Publiczna» (Public Domain), «copyrightProtected»: false; the scan was uploaded to Wikimedia Commons by the library itself («Polona Upload», GLAM-Wiki partnership: “This file was uploaded to Wikimedia Commons as part of a GLAM-Wiki partnership between the National Library of Poland and Wikimedia Polska”), linking its Polona record.

The verses

Gen 41:14–32So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, who was quickly brought out of the dungeon. After he had shaved and changed his clothes, he went in before Pharaoh. Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.” “I myself cannot do it,” Joseph replied, “but God will give Pharaoh a sound answer.” Then Pharaoh said to Joseph: “In my dream I was standing on the bank of the Nile, when seven cows, well-fed and sleek, came up from the river and began to graze among the reeds. After them, seven other cows—sickly, ugly, and thin—came up. I have never seen such ugly cows in all the land of Egypt! Then the thin, ugly cows devoured the seven well-fed cows that were there first. When they had devoured them, however, no one could tell that they had done so; their appearance was as ugly as it had been before. Then I awoke. In my dream I also saw seven heads of grain, plump and ripe, growing on a single stalk. After them, seven other heads of grain sprouted—withered, thin, and scorched by the east wind. And the thin heads of grain swallowed the seven plump ones. I told this dream to the magicians, but no one could explain it to me.” At this, Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one and the same. God has revealed to Pharaoh what He is about to do. The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven ripe heads of grain are seven years. The dreams have the same meaning. Moreover, the seven thin, ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and so are the seven worthless heads of grain scorched by the east wind—they are seven years of famine. It is just as I said to Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do. Behold, seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the land of Egypt, but seven years of famine will follow them. Then all the abundance in the land of Egypt will be forgotten, and the famine will devastate the land. The abundance in the land will not be remembered, since the famine that follows it will be so severe. Moreover, because the dream was given to Pharaoh in two versions, the matter has been decreed by God, and He will carry it out shortly.

See it at the museum’s site