Previously unattributed, the present painting is by the Haarlem painter, Jacob Willemsz. de Wet, who is not documented as one of Rembrandt's pupils but whose manner reflects the master's style of the early Leiden period and first years in Amsterdam. A history painter, de Wet specialized in religious and mythological subjects with small scale, full length figures. He painted at least two other variations on this theme with closely related compositions: Anon. Sale, Christie's, London, May 25, 1985, lot 1, as Benjamin Gerritsz. Cuyp (see Werner Sumowski, Gemälde der Rembrandt Schüler, IV, 1983, no. 1813, illustrated as by de Wet; panel 53.2 x 89.3 cm.) and Anon. Sale, Christie's, London, Dec, 5, 1969, lot 6 (signed and dated 1635; canvas 99 x 129.4 cm.). The present painting probably also dates around 1635. As Sumowski observed (ibid., p. 2723), this was the period (circa 1634/37) in de Wet's development when his art most closely resembled that of the Dordrecht painter, Benjamin Gerritsz. Cuyp, another artist who also responded to early Rembrandt. The biblical subject (Genesis 37) was popular with the earlier generation of Dutch history painters known as the Pre-Rembrandtists and had traditionally been regarded as prefiguring Christ's Entombment and Resurrection