Joseph in Egypt (detail)
by PONTORMO, Jacopo, Oil on wood
Two half-living statues are represented in the top left and centre of the painting. A restless crowd, curious to see what is going on, throngs the adjacent space between the two buildings in the background. Other mysterious figures, resting against one of the large boulders that dominate the landscape, turn their attention toward the action in the foreground.
The large castle and surrounding trees depicted in the background are inspired by northern European painting.