Dream of Joseph 1855

Alexander Ivanov made this watercolor, titled "Dream of Joseph," sometime in the first half of the 19th century. The way Ivanov handles the watercolor medium here is striking. You can see how he builds up the image through thin, transparent layers. These washes create a sense of light and depth in the scene, capturing the ethereal nature of the dream. The artist uses the inherent qualities of the material, its fluidity and translucence, to suggest the insubstantiality of the vision. The strokes, the blending, and the controlled bleeds create a dynamic tension between realism and fantasy. Consider, too, how the intimate scale of a watercolor contrasts with the grand subject matter. Typically, watercolors at this time were studies for larger paintings, but they're also seen as finished works in their own right. This pushes us to reconsider the boundaries between preparation and finality, sketch and masterwork. It is through its materiality and the making process that Ivanov elevates the medium and invests his interpretation of a biblical scene with remarkable power.