Discovery of Joseph's Cup

Art Historical Context

This engraving, created around 1521–1525 by Giovanni Antonio da Brescia after a design by Baldassare Peruzzi, captures a dramatic biblical moment in fine detail. As a printmaker working in early 16th-century Italy, da Brescia translated Peruzzi’s composition into the precise lines of engraving, a technique that allowed intricate narrative scenes to be reproduced and shared widely during the Renaissance. Engravings like this one played a vital role in disseminating artistic ideas across Europe at a time when original paintings and frescoes remained accessible only to those who could visit chur...