Joseph Accused by Potiphar's Wife
Dutch 17th Century Rembrandt van Rijn (workshop)
A pale-skinned woman sits in a pool of light against a deeply shadowed background in the bottom half of this vertical painting. She sits in the center of the composition, in a heavy wooden armchair next to a bed, which is flanked by two men. The woman wears a rose-pink, fur-trimmed robe draped over a white chemise. A pearl necklace and gold bracelets gleam at her throat and wrists, and her chestnut-brown hair is partially pulled up while curls fall to her shoulders. She looks to her left, our right, at a shadowy bearded man. He wears a turban wrapped in a gold chain, a cloak patterned with shades of bronze, olive green, and rust red, and a sword hangs from his belt. He stands facing our left, stooping slightly to rest his right arm, farther from us, on her chair, and his hand brushes her shoulder. The woman's mouth is open and brow furrowed as she points to the bed with her right hand, to our left. Her other hand holds up the loose neckline of her chemise to cover her chest. The bed is angled slightly away from us, to our left. It is covered with white linens and a mustard-yellow coverlet. A burgundy-red cloth or garment is draped over a bedpost at the foot of the bed. A younger man stands on the far side of the bed with his body angled to our right. He wears an olive-green tunic. A broad, scarlet-red sash is tied around his waist, and a bunch of keys hangs from it. Shoulder-length, light brown hair frames his face. His head tilts slightly to our right, and his hands are clasped at the waist, holding what looks like a black cap. A faint light him behind him creates a soft halo around his body. The top half of the painting is swallowed in deep shadow. The artist signed and dated the painting in the lower right, “Rembrandt. f. 1655.”
Details
- Palette
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Select a color to find related artworks.
- Dimensions
- overall: 105.7 x 97.8 cm (41 5/8 x 38 1/2 in.) framed: 130.8 x 123.2 cm (51 1/2 x 48 1/2 in.)
- Department
- CNE-B
- Holding institution
- National Gallery of Art
- Image provider
- national-gallery-of-art
- License
- CC0-1.0
- Credit
- Andrew W. Mellon Collection
Art Genome Taxonomy
9 tags
Subject Matter
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Bible Story Metadata · 99%
The catalog title identifies the scene as Joseph Accused by Potiphar's Wife, a narrative episode from the Bible.
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Narrative Both · 97%
The titled episode is conveyed visually through three interacting figures, directed gestures, facial expressions, and their arrangement around the bed.
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Human Figure Visual · 99%
Three human figures are clearly depicted: a seated woman at center-right, a standing young man at left, and a bearded man at right.
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Interiors Visual · 94%
A bed, chair, garments, and figures occupy an enclosed, shadowed interior setting.
Styles and Movements
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Baroque Both · 82%
The work is dated 1655, and its dramatic biblical subject, concentrated illumination, rich costume, and strong tonal contrast are consistent with Baroque painting; this is a stylistic assessment rather than an explicit catalog classification.
Medium and Techniques
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Chiaroscuro Visual · 99%
The brightly illuminated figures and bed linens contrast strongly with the nearly black upper background and surrounding shadows.
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Oil Painting Metadata · 99%
The catalog identifies the medium as oil on canvas transferred to canvas.
Time Periods
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17th Century Art Metadata · 99%
The catalog date is 1655, placing the work in the seventeenth century.
Geographic Regions
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Dutch Art Metadata · 94%
The artist field identifies the work as Dutch 17th Century; Rembrandt van Rijn, with the artist display reading Rembrandt Workshop.
Source & rights
Rembrandt Workshop. Joseph Accused by Potiphar's Wife. Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington.