Potiphar's wife was a favorite theme for many painters, sculptors, poets and others in popular culture. Some of the most famous works on this theme include the paintings such as ‘Joseph and Potiphar's Wife’ (1631) by Guido Reni, and ‘Joseph Accused by Potiphar's Wife’ (1655) by Rembrandt van Rijn. But what was her name? The story of Potiphar (or Potifar) appears in the account of Joseph in the Book of Genesis, and the woman is not named, but simply referred to as Potiphar's wife.
According to Bible, Joseph, sold into slavery by his brothers, was taken to Egypt where he was resold as a household slave to Potiphar, a wealthy Egyptian man. Potiphar made Joseph to look after all his belongings in his household. Joseph remained very loyal to his master and performed all his duties sincerely. But Potiphar's wife tried to seduce Joseph and when she failed to make him bed with her, she accused him falsely of trying to rape her. Potiphar sent Joseph into prison, where Joseph was made in charge of other prisoners, and he came to the notice of Pharaoh because of Joseph's ability to interpret the dreams of other prisoners.
The story of Potiphar and his wife derives from the Yahwist source, and stands in the same place that the stories of the butler and the baker and Pharaoh's dreams stand in the Elohist text, but Potiphar's wife is not named in both. But the mediaeval Sefer HaYashar, a commentary on the Torah, gives Potiphar's wife’s name as Zuleika.
Also, Yusuf and Zulaikha is the Quranic verse of Yusuf (Joseph) and Zulaikha (Potiphar's wife). The story has been told and retold innumerable times in many languages spoken by Muslims, especially the Persian language. Its most famous version was written in Persian by Jami (1414-1492), in his Haft Awrang (Seven Thrones), in the poem called Yusuf and Zulaikha.
Other writers also have retold the story of Yusuf and Zulaikha including Mahmud Gami (Kashmiri) and it is a standard folk tale used in Punjabi Qisse.
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