Jan 28, 2026 10:00 EST
Old Master Paintings / Silver / English & Continental Furniture
1
Italian School, 16th Century
The Silver Cup Discovered in Benjamin's Sack (Genesis 44)
Inscribed Mg (?) 87 (ul)
Black ink and gray wash on laid paper
The sheet with a watermark at its center in the form of a shield
9 7/8 x 7 1/4 inches (25.2 x 18.3 cm)
Unframed
The rare subject of this work is an incident from the story of the Hebrew patriarch Joseph, which is described in chapters 44 and 45 of the book of Genesis. Joseph, one of the two youngest sons of the patriarch Jacob, was sold into slavery in Egypt as a boy by his jealous older brothers. After he arrived in Egypt, he gained his freedom and eventually rose to become an important figure in the Pharaoh's government. During a famine, his brothers travel to Egypt to buy grain. Upon meeting Joseph, they do not recognize him, but he recognizes them. As a test of their character, he has his own silver cup deliberately hidden in the grain sack of his youngest brother, Benjamin--who had nothing to do with his enslavement. When his brothers set out for home, Joseph has his servants pursue them demanding to know who has "stolen" the silver cup. Of course, the cup is found in Benjamin's sack, and the boy is brought back to Joseph, supposedly to face punishment. His older brothers return with him, begging Joseph to spare the boy and offering themselves for punishment in his stead. Joseph then reveals that he is their long-lost brother. At his direction, the older brothers return to Canaan and bring their father Jacob back to Egypt with them, so that the family is finally reunited.
This drawing was probably a preliminary study for a series of scenes from a cycle of paintings illustrating Joseph's life.
Sold for $416
Estimated at $600 - $800
Includes Buyer's Premium
The Silver Cup Discovered in Benjamin's Sack (Genesis 44)
Inscribed Mg (?) 87 (ul)
Black ink and gray wash on laid paper
The sheet with a watermark at its center in the form of a shield
9 7/8 x 7 1/4 inches (25.2 x 18.3 cm)
Unframed
The rare subject of this work is an incident from the story of the Hebrew patriarch Joseph, which is described in chapters 44 and 45 of the book of Genesis. Joseph, one of the two youngest sons of the patriarch Jacob, was sold into slavery in Egypt as a boy by his jealous older brothers. After he arrived in Egypt, he gained his freedom and eventually rose to become an important figure in the Pharaoh's government. During a famine, his brothers travel to Egypt to buy grain. Upon meeting Joseph, they do not recognize him, but he recognizes them. As a test of their character, he has his own silver cup deliberately hidden in the grain sack of his youngest brother, Benjamin--who had nothing to do with his enslavement. When his brothers set out for home, Joseph has his servants pursue them demanding to know who has "stolen" the silver cup. Of course, the cup is found in Benjamin's sack, and the boy is brought back to Joseph, supposedly to face punishment. His older brothers return with him, begging Joseph to spare the boy and offering themselves for punishment in his stead. Joseph then reveals that he is their long-lost brother. At his direction, the older brothers return to Canaan and bring their father Jacob back to Egypt with them, so that the family is finally reunited.
This drawing was probably a preliminary study for a series of scenes from a cycle of paintings illustrating Joseph's life.
Hinged to the mount at two points along the upper edge. Corners missing at upper left, upper right, and lower left. Some paper loss along the right edge. Glue stain at upper right. The sheet stained brown about 1 1/2 inches into the image along the right edge. Creases around the lower right and upper left corners.
Any condition statement is given as a courtesy to a client, is an opinion and should not be treated as a statement of fact and our Organization shall have no responsibility for any error or omission. Please contact the specialist department to request further information or additional images that may be available.
Auction: Old Master Paintings / Silver / English & Continental Furniture, Jan 28, 2026
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Miniature Work by Giacomo Guardi Leads Sale of Old Master & 19th Century Paintings, Drawings & Prints on January 28, 2026
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Consignments Are Currently Being Accepted for Future Auctions
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We Invite You to Contact Us for a Complimentary Auction Evaluation of Your Collection
NEW YORK, NY -- Doyle’s auction of Old Master & 19th Century Paintings, Drawings & Prints on January 28, 2026 delivered some exceptional results amid international bidding. The sale presented works spanning the 16th through 19th centuries, including portraits, still lifes and landscapes, along with religious, historical and mythological subjects.
The star of the Old Master paintings was a very fine miniature architectural view by the Venetian artist Giacomo Guardi (1764–1835), after a much larger work by his illustrious father, Francesco Guardi. Showing an intriguing view of a small city square from the shadows of a Renaissance arcade, this delightful gem measuring 5 1/8 x 3 15/16 inches sold for $14,080, a surprising price for a miniature work.
Also featured was Anthropomorphic Landscape attributed to Matthäus Merianthat, which realized $8,960. Anthropomorphic landscapes--imaginary views of natural scenery that appear to resemble the faces of people--were much in vogue in European art during the 16th and early 17th centuries. When this painting was first discovered by Alfred Barr in 1930 it was thought to be by the Italian Mannerist artist Giuseppe Arcimboldo (1527-1593). However when the work was cleaned and restored in 1954, an inscription attributing it to the Swiss engraver Matthäus Merian (1593-1650) came to light. It was soon shown that its composition is closely related to an engraving of a similar anthropomorphic landscape created by Merian in 1624, which suggests that it may have been the artist’s preliminary sketch for that work.
Old Master prints were highlighted by four hand-colored engravings by Basilius Besler (1561–1629) from Hortus Eystettensis (The Garden of Eichstätt), which sold for $10,240. Published in 1613, Hortus Eystettensis is a landmark botanical masterpiece, featuring hundreds of finely detailed engravings that document the extensive gardens of Prince-Bishop Johann Konrad von Gemmingen in Bavaria.
Additional Categories in the Sale
Special sections of the sale also showcased English & Continental Silver (Read More) on Wednesday, January 28 and English & Continental Furniture & Decorative Arts (Read More) on Thursday, January 29.
We Invite You to Auction!
Consignments are currently being accepted for future auctions. We invite you to contact us for complimentary auction estimates. Our Specialists are always available to discuss the sale of a single item or an entire collection.
