Joseph the Carpenter, 1642
Georges de La Tour
Louvre, Paris

The painter Georges de la Tour is known for his use of light, especially candlelight. Here his figures are simply rendered, and the colours chosen so that the one light source creates a charmingly intimate scene. The circle of light draws the figures together generating an atmosphere of mutual love and attention. The elderly carpenter Joseph is passing on to the young Jesus the strong, practical work of a craftsman. He is using a large auger to drill a hole in a plank of wood. Jesus is learning a trade, and he would have lived and worked in the town of Nazareth for the best part of 30 years. I think we can presume that he made a good job of the beds, tables and cabinets that he provided for his neighbours. But the artist has added more layers of meaning to his painting. Wood and metal will have a place to play in the death of the young man in the workshop, though now he holds the light, which glows through his fingers and lights the whole scene. Here, says de La Tour, is the light of the world.

Art in focus is curated by Meryl Doney

Image:©Wikipedia Creative Commons

__

This article was published in the February 2024 edition of Reform

Subscribe to Reform