Potiphar's Wife Accusing Joseph (copy)
n.d.
Medium
Engraving
Dimensions
plate: 4 3/4 x 6 7/16 in. (12 x 16.3 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Professor Maan Z. Madina and Dr. Marilyn Jenkins-Madina, 2006
Accession Number
2006.50.106
Tags
Art Historical Context
Behold *Potiphar's Wifeusing Joseph (copy)*, a captivating engraving by the renowned Dutch artist Lucas van Leyden (149–1533), a master of the Northern Renaissance. This work dramatizes a pivotal biblical scene from Genesis 39, where Potiphar's wife falsely accuses the virtuous Joseph of assault after he rejects her advances. Captured in a compact plate measuring just 4 3/4 x 6 7/16 inches, the image pulses with tension, showcasing dynamic figures—men and women in period attire—poised in a moment of moral reckoning that resonated deeply with Renaissance audiences seeking lessons in fidelity an...
About the Artist
Lucas van Leyden · 1484–1533
Lucas van Leyden (1494–1533) was a Dutch painter and printmaker who stands among the greatest engravers of the Northern Renaissance. Born in Leiden as either Lucas Hugensz or Lucas Jacobsz, he lived and worked primarily in his native city, achieving international renown that rivaled the German master Albrecht Dürer. Lucas van Leyden revolutionized Netherlandish printmaking and was among the first...