Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife

painting by Lanfranco

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July 19, 2026

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Giovanni Lanfranco, an Italian painter, created the frescoes Joseph Explaining the Dreams of His Fellow Prisoners and Joseph and Potiphar's Wife in 1615 for the Palazzo Mattei in Rome. These works demonstrate Lanfranco's blend of styles, influenced by Annibale Carracci, Correggio, and Caravaggio.1

The biblical story of Joseph and Potiphar's wife, as depicted in the frescoes, involves Joseph being sold into slavery in Egypt to Potiphar, captain of Pharaoh's guard. Potiphar's wife falsely accused Joseph of attempted sexual assault, leading to his imprisonment. Despite this, Joseph eventually rose to prominence in Egypt after interpreting Pharaoh's dreams.2

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Giovanni Lanfranco
…of His Fellow Prisoners and Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife (both 1615) in the Palazzo Mattei. The frescoes combine techniques and styles learned from Annibale Carracci and from Lanfranco’s own study of Correggio and Caravaggio. Lanfranco’s painting in the dome of San Andrea della Valle in Rome (1621–25) derives directly from…
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…of His Fellow Prisoners and Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife (both 1615) in the Palazzo Mattei. The frescoes combine techniques and styles learned from Annibale Carracci and from Lanfranco’s own study of Correggio and Caravaggio. Lanfranco’s painting in the dome of San Andrea della Valle in Rome (1621–25) derives directly from…
Read More