French or Italian school; 18th century.The wife of Potiphar.Oil on canvas.It has a French frame

French or Italian school; 18th century.
"The wife of Potiphar".
Oil on canvas.
It has a French frame from the second half of the 19th century, and a 20th century frame.
Measurements: 65 x 81,5 cm: 88 x 104,5 cm (frame).
On the back of the work there is a small label showing an old attribution to Polidoro Caldara 8Bergamo, 1492- Messina, 1543), known for his mannerist style, although not very well remembered in the history of art. However, the technical characteristics of the work make this painting far removed from the artist's output.
Based on the Genesis scriptures, this work visually narrates the attempt by Potiphar's wife to seduce Joseph. Potiphar, who was a high-ranking member of Pharaoh's court, had acquired Joseph, who had been sold into slavery. After his diligence, Potiphar made Joseph head of the household, and it was at this point that Potiphar's wife began to notice Joseph, trying to seduce him. Taking advantage of an occasion when the house had none of the men in charge, the woman made a pass at Joseph, who fled. However, upon Potiphar's return, the woman accused Joseph of attempted rape, for which Joseph was sent to prison. This scene shows the moment when Joseph tries to flee, while the woman grabs him, trying to hold him back. Set in a room of clearly classical inspiration, the two figures are arranged at the sides of the composition. With regard to the other elements in the scene, the crown and the sumptuousness of the bed's canopy indicate the high social status of the protagonist. However, the most notable characteristic of the work lies in the expressiveness achieved through the gestures of the faces, the volume of the bodies, the angularity of the folds of the clothing and, to a greater extent, the posture. This concentrates the movement of the scene, in a composition that oscillates between the classic triangle and the cross.