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| Rembrandt van Rijn Joseph and Potiphar's wife 1634 Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, Netherlands |
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Rights (Photo / Work):
CC0 // Wikipedia List of sources: |
The etching depicts the biblical tale of Joseph who was sold as a slave to the Egyptian Potiphar whose wife tried to seduce Joseph. He did not give in to the temptation, but Potiphar's wife accused him of having assaulted her. Potiphar's wife convicted Joseph by presenting a piece of his garment that she had torn off as she tried to seduce him. The right side of the etching is shaded, the left side is radiantly illuminated. The woman gives Joseph a penetrating look, her heart inflamed with lust. Her genitals are exposed and indicated by a vulva slit. In the Baroque period it is rather rare that a woman's genitalia are exhibited in such an explicit way, even though the depiction of the vulva is not very realistic. The scene is dramatic and dynamic because of the persons' movement and their facial expressions. It is probable that in those days this artwork only was accessible to a few people.
Biography: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rembrandt_van_Rijn (Translation: K. Seifter)
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