Joseph Reveals Himself to His Brothers (After Benozzo Gozzoli) - Fratelli Alinari

A nineteenth-century albumen print by Fratelli Alinari documenting Benozzo Gozzoli's Renaissance fresco cycle in the Camposanto, Pisa.

This albumen print by the Fratelli Alinari studio captures the fresco cycle by Benozzo Gozzoli located within the Camposanto Monumentale in Pisa. The original fresco, depicting the biblical narrative of Joseph revealing his identity to his brothers, was painted by Gozzoli between 1469 and 1484. The photograph provides a record of the work as it appeared in the late nineteenth century, documenting both the mural and the surrounding funerary monuments within the cloistered cemetery.

The Alinari brothers established their photographic firm in Florence in 1852, becoming primary chroniclers of Italian art and architecture. Their work often focused on the systematic documentation of frescoes and sculptures, providing scholars and the public with access to works that were otherwise difficult to study in situ. This print demonstrates the technical approach of the studio, utilising long exposures to capture the scale of the Camposanto interior. The composition includes the lower portion of the wall, where various sarcophagi and sculptural fragments are positioned, offering a sense of the physical context of the fresco.

Benozzo Gozzoli, a student of Fra Angelico, was known for his narrative clarity and his ability to integrate complex architectural settings into his compositions. The fresco cycle in the Camposanto represents a major commission of the Italian Renaissance. Through this photographic reproduction, the viewer observes the interplay between the painted narrative and the physical space of the cemetery. The print retains the tonal qualities characteristic of nineteenth-century albumen processes, with a sepia-toned palette that reflects the ageing of the chemical emulsion over time. This document serves as a record of the state of the Camposanto before the significant damage sustained during the Second World War, preserving details of the mural that have since undergone extensive restoration.