Artwork
Joseph and Potiphar's Wife
Joseph and Potiphar's Wife is a photography by Unknown. It dates from 1750 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
About this work
Overview
Joseph and Potate’s Wife, attributed to the anonymous artist known only as 1547_person, dates from around 1750 and is part of the collection of the Museum of Ethnography. The oil on canvas depicts a dimly lit interior where two figures occupy the foreground, their forms rendered in loose, flowing garments that catch the limited light.
Subject & Meaning
The composition presents a moment drawn from the biblical narrative of Joseph and Potiphar’s wife, though the scene is ambiguous. One woman, seated on a couch, gazes downward while the other reaches toward her with an outstretched hand, suggesting a tension between restraint and desire that invites contemplation of moral conflict.
Technique & Style
The artist employs a pronounced chiaroscuro effect, using stark contrasts between illuminated faces and arms and the surrounding darkness to model volume and direct the viewer’s eye. The soft, draped clothing and the subtle gradations of shadow convey a sense of depth, while the limited palette enhances the intimate, almost theatrical atmosphere.
History & Provenance
Created circa 1750, the work entered the Museum of Ethnography’s holdings at an unspecified date, where it remains on display. Its attribution to 1547_person reflects the limited archival information available, and the painting has been cited in scholarly catalogues as an example of mid‑18th‑century narrative painting within the museum’s European collection.
Artist & collection
Domestic Scene
Giacomo and Cardinal Marco, investing Andrea, Abbot of San Zeno, with his Benefice
The Nymph of Fontainebleau
Portrait of a Woman
Madonna and Child with Saints in the Enclosed Garden
Venus and Minerva
Family Group of Four on Sofa
Wall painting from Room H of the Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale
