Yusuf and Zulaykha meetingc. 1764 · Study 1939.164

Context from the museum

Joseph, called Yusuf in Arabic and Persian sources, had been thrown into a well by his jealous older brothers. Although his eldest brother intended to return and rescue him, Joseph was taken by a caravan and brought to Egypt to be sold as a slave. When Zulaykha saw Joseph in the market, she recognized him as the lover she had seen in her dreams since childhood and so purchased him for herself. When read as a religious allegory, Zulaykha’s passionate desire for Joseph is interpreted as the yearning of the soul to be joined with the perfect beauty of God.

Museum description reproduced from its CC0 open-access record. Read the original catalog entry.

A detail to notice

Joseph wears a Central Asian fur-trimmed hat and coat and holds Indian paan.

Observation supplied by the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Read the dimensions before the image

The selected overall measurement for Yusuf and Zulaykha meeting is 28 cm wide and 40.5 cm high, equivalent to approximately 11.0 × 15.9 inches. Dividing width by height gives a format ratio of 0.69:1. The rectangular bounding area is 0.11 square meters; it describes the measured footprint, not the amount of paint or the monetary value.

On an illustrative 300 cm wall, the recorded width occupies 9.3% of the span before adding a frame. A centered placement leaves approximately 136.0 cm on each side before adding a frame. These are calculations by Physical Art For Crypto using museum measurements. They are not the museum’s display recommendations.

Questions to bring to your own collection

With Yusuf and Zulaykha meeting in view, identify one feature you can point to, then distinguish what the museum records from your personal response. Keep its medium, Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper, in your notes when comparing contemporary works.

• Which part of this vertical composition catches your eye first?
• Would a 28 cm width still suit the space after allowing for furniture and a frame?
• What surface detail would you need to see in person or in a close photograph?