Judah and Tamar, 17th century
Etchingexpand_more
The Ethel Morrison Van Derlip Fundexpand_more P.69.208
Not on Viewexpand_more
After 1520, artists explored the Bible for themes of lust and eroticism. Judah's two sons died childless-each while married to Tamar. Veiled, she offers herself along the roadside and is impregnated by Judah, as her slung leg and the frowzy, fevered lines of the costumes anticipate. Later outraged by her pregnancy, Judah wants Tamar killed until she proves he is the father, by producing the staff he had given her during their tryst (Genesis 38). Their descendants led to David, then Jesus. The German reformer Martin Luther cited this story as proof that even Christ was "born of flesh that was very sinful."
Details
- Title
- Judah and Tamar
- Artist Life
- c.1620–1676
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- P.69.208
- Provenance
- R.E. Lewis
- Catalogue Raisonne
- Hollstein 1 ii/ii
- Curator Approved
This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
Does something look wrong with this image? Let us know
Zoom in on the left to the detail you'd like to save. Click 'Save detail' and wait until the image updates. Right click the image to 'save image as' or copy link, or click the image to open in a new tab.