Josef and Potifar's Wife 1924

"Josef and Potifar's Wife" (1924) by Karl Isakson is a poignant depiction of a biblical story. The painting, housed in the SMK - Statens Museum for Kunst, portrays the moment when Josef, resisting the advances of Potifar's wife, is seen rejecting her advances. The figures are rendered in soft, expressive brushstrokes, creating a sense of tension and drama. Isakson, a Danish artist born in 1878 and tragically passing away in 1922, captured the emotional complexities of the narrative through the use of color and form. The painting's intimate scale (65 cm x 50 cm) invites viewers to contemplate the nuances of temptation and virtue, a timeless theme explored in literature and art.