Potiphar's Wife Accusing Joseph Before her Husband
Original title: Potiphar's Wife Accusing Joseph Before her Husband
kurzbeschreibung
Rembrandt van Rijn drew this sheet between 1620 and 1669. It depicts the biblical story in which Potiphar's wife accuses Joseph before her husband. The work is executed in pen and brown ink, with brush and brown wash.
Description
The standing woman dominates the scene: one hand gestures, the other rests on her breast. Before her Joseph kneels, lifting his gaze to her, while Potiphar stands at the right, looking at Joseph. Hints of further figures and furniture frame the space. Grays and browns dominate the sheet, the figures are dynamically arranged, and foreground and background are clearly separated.
Context
The episode comes from Genesis 39: Potiphar's wife makes false accusations against Joseph. Rembrandt often treated biblical subjects and placed value on intense emotionality. The date of the drawing is not certain and is placed between 1620 and 1669.
Impact
The gestures and glances of the figures create direct emotional tension. The washed ink gives the scene atmospheric depth and draws the viewer into the biblical narrative.
Technique
For contours and hatching Rembrandt used pen and brown ink; brush and brown wash he employed for shadows and areas. Framing lines in pen and brown ink enclose the sheet.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)