POTIPHAR’S
WIFE: The Temptress
©2003
Hand appliquéd, machine quilted
hand beaded and embellished
Cotton, Rayon, Silk, Beads, commercial and hand-dyed cotton, linen, silk
dupionni, cotton batt, lame¢
bias
22” x 22”
This quilt is part of a traveling exhibit “Women of Biblical
Proportion.” The exhibit portrays
50 female characters of the Bible, portrayed by 47 quilt artists.
My daughter, Chantelle Cory and I curated the exhibit.
Exhibit information www.wobp.org
Character Interpretation:
Potiphar’s husband was a wealthy Egyptian official, so she
led a life of ease and prosperity, you might say she was a “kept woman.”
She dressed similar to other Egyptian women of her time with heavy
make-up, especially liner around her eyes to emphasize them, and painted lips.
She had the finances to afford expensive jewelry and the finest linen
clothing.
I
have chosen to portray her as a beautiful Egyptian woman, with plaited hair, a
heavily jeweled crown and collar. Her unlined linen dress would have been
transparent when standing in the sunlight, showing her curvaceous body
underneath. The snake is symbolic of the temptation she used to try to seduce
Joseph. I have encircled her
picture with trim that I purchased while visiting Egypt.
