Joseph Accused by Potiphar's Wife

The dramatic narrative of "Joseph Accused by Potiphar's Wife" was painted around 1655 by the celebrated Dutch master, Rembrandt van Rijn. Executed originally in oil on canvas, the piece later underwent a transfer procedure that stabilized the original paint layers onto a new support. This profound work exemplifies the intense psychological realism preferred during the Dutch 17th Century, a key period stretching from 1651 to 1700, which represented the high point of the Dutch Golden Age.

The painting captures the apex of the biblical drama (Genesis 39). Potiphar's wife, seated centrally and illuminated dramatically, gestures toward Joseph’s discarded cloak, leveling her false accusation against the fleeing servant. Rijn utilized strong chiaroscuro to heighten the tension, focusing the viewer’s attention sharply on the accuser’s outraged expression and the shadowy figure of Potiphar, who appears skeptical or gravely concerned. The composition avoids idealized beauty, favoring instead a rugged emotional truth in the rendering of the figures. This focus on domestic turmoil, moral ambiguity, and deep human character study was characteristic of the mature style developed by Rijn in the mid-1650s.

As a pivotal example of Baroque history painting from the Dutch tradition, the canvas remains a crucial study of human emotion and injustice. This significant work is housed within the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. Due to its cultural importance and age, high-quality images and prints of this masterwork are frequently made available through various public domain initiatives, ensuring global access to Rijn’s powerful dramatic interpretation of the Book of Genesis.