Seven Fat and Seven Lean Cows

Discussion

FROM THE BARNES FOUNDATION’S CATALOG

This painting of a scene from the Book of Genesis was created for a multipaneled altarpiece. On the left side of the scene, Joseph interprets the dream of Pharaoh, dressed as a medieval king. The dream is depicted on the right side in the arched window. Seven ugly, sickly cows and sparsely growing wheat are on one side, and fat, healthy cows and bountiful wheat are on the opposite side. Joseph interpreted the seven fat cows and the bountiful heads of wheat to represent seven years of abundance for Egypt, followed by seven years of famine, represented by the ugly, skinny cows and the withering grain. This painting featured on the same altarpiece as the nearby panel depicting Shadrack, Meshack, and Abednego, another Old Testament subject about interpreting the dreams of a king.

Source ↗︎