When this magnificent painting, coming from the Massimo Vita collection, was donated to the Civic Museums in 1971, the attribution to Hayez was indicated in a dubious way. This has found

absolute confirmation on the occasion of the Milanese exhibition dedicated to the painter in 1983, in which the work was brought back to the attention of the studies. The subject is taken from the book of Genesis and represents Tamar, the woman who married the first two sons of Judah: Er and Onan. Both spouses die and Judas blamed Tamar, refusing to give her the third child as her husband. Tamar then decided to disguise herself as a prostitute and circumvent Judas who, seduced, promised her a lamb and gave her a ring, a stick and a cord. In the work the woman is depicted with the token of love left her by her lover.