"Joseph Interpreting the Dreams of Pharaoh"

This painting’s subdued tonality and matte surface result from the materials and technique employed: a water-based medium on ungrounded fine-weave canvas, known by the German term Tüchlein. Such early forays into what would become oil on canvas offered artists a lightweight and economical alternative to large-scale panel paintings or tapestries. Their disadvantages are also apparent, however, in that their surfaces were easily worn and damaged by moisture.