# Joseph and Potiphar's Wife [View the canonical artwork record]() ## Artwork - Artist: [RENI, Guido]() - Date: 1601-1650 - Technique: Oil on canvas, 227 x 195 cm ## Commentary Joseph and Potiphar's Wife c. 1631 Oil on canvas, 227 x 195 cm Pushkin Museum, Moscow Joseph was the elder son of the Hebrew patriarch Jacob and of Rachel. His numerous older brothers were strictly only half-brothers, being the sons of Leah or of handmaidens. The events of his romantic life story have been depicted continuously in Christian art from the 6th century onwards. The medieval Church saw the episodes of his life as a prefiguration of the life of Christ, and it is to this that he owes his important place in Christian art. When in Egypt as a slave, Potiphar, captain of the Pharaoh's guard, bought Joseph from the Ishmaelites and made him steward of his household \(Gen. 39:7-20\). Potiphar's wife 'cast her eyes over him and said, "Come and lie with me."' He refused her though she continued to press him. One day when they were alone together she clutched his robes, pleading with him to make love to her. At this, Joseph fled so precipitately that he left his cloak at her hands. When Potiphar came home she avenged her humiliation by accusing Joseph of trying to violate her, using the cloak as evidence. Joseph was promptly thrown into prison. <P> <TABLE ALIGN=LEFT CELLPADDING=5 BORDER=1 WIDTH=320 BGCOLOR="\#99CCCC"> <TR VALIGN=MIDDLE><TD><IMG SRC="/support/gif/listen.gif" BORDER=0 VALIGN=MIDDLE> Suggested listening \(streaming mp3, 5 minutes\):<BR><A HREF="\#" onClick="w=window.open \('/music1/18\_cent/mehul\_joseph.html', 'newWin', 'scrollbars=yes,status=no,dependent=yes,screenX=0,screenY=0,width=350,height=350'\);w.opener=this;w.focus\(\);return true"><B>Étienne Nicolas Méhul: Joseph, aria</B></A> </TD></TR></TABLE> ## Related artworks - [Adam]() - [Angel of the Annunciation]() - [Annunciation to Joachim]() - [Atalanta and Hippomenes]() - [Atalanta and Hippomenes]() - [Aurora]() - [Aurora]() - [Baptism of Christ]() - [Birth of the Virgin \(detail\)]() - [Birth of the Virgin]() - [Cleopatra]() - [Cleopatra with the Asp]() ## Attribution [Web Gallery of Art]()