space as found in nature, best describes this technique. Upon conducting my research I found that, according to Richard Muhlberger, "Rembrandt learned to lavish attention on small parts of a painting, leaving the rest without much detail. He knew that details look more impressive surrounded by areas that are plain; they are harder to notice when they cover the entire surface of a painting" (16). Obviously in this painting of Joseph Accused by Potiphar's Wife, Rembrandt's purpose in using the design element of infinite space is to attract the audience to the characters in this story and not so much their surroundings, with the exception, perhaps, of the bed. Therefore, my perception of this design element was only enlarged by the knowledge of Rembrandt's motivation in including infinite space in his composition.My first perceptions about the colors in the painting did not change, but instead I gained an understanding of how the colors Rembrandt used contributed to the characters' portrayal/depiction. One of the greatest ways color affects people is through their emotions. When I first studied the painting of Joseph being Accused by Potiphar's wife, the dreary, somber colors left me feeling depressed. But after reading the passage in the first book of the Bible, Genesis, where the story in the painting is recounted, I began to understand Rembrandt's reasoning behind his choice of colors for this particular painting. Joseph is being accused by his master's wife, the master he has served with all of his ability, of a crime he has not committed, not even in his mind, despite the many opportunities the woman has given him. For Rembrandt to successfully depict Joseph's situation, he "had to ... know the stories he painted and all the characters in them" (Schwartz 15). Instead of focusing on the luxurious setting of an Egyptian official's bedroom, Rembrandt chose to underscore the seriousness of Joseph's situation through color.After ...
