Oil on canvas. Venetian school of the 17th century.
The story of Tamar, told in the book of Genesis, is a tale of deception, justice and divine providence.
Tamar, widowed by Judah's first two sons, disguises herself as a prostitute to conceive with Judah himself, since he had denied her the third child.
Tamar becomes pregnant and, showing the seal, the cord and the staff that Judah had given her as a pledge, reveals the truth and forces Judah to admit his guilt and to recognize the twin sons who will be born, and who will enter the ancestry of David and Jesus.
The story has been widely represented artistically: Tintoretto's version is famous, then taken up by Bassano, to which the painting proposed here is similar due to the setting of the figures and the presence of the dog on the right.
Subjected to restoration and re-lining in the first half of the 20th century, the painting currently shows slight discolouration.
It is presented in an antique frame.