Christ and the Woman of Samaria
Medium
Oil on wood
Dimensions
25 x 19 1/4 in. (63.5 x 48.9 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Department
European Paintings
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Lillian S. Timken, 1959
Accession Number
60.71.14
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the intimate glow of Rembrandt's *Christ and the Woman of Samaria*, witness a pivotal biblical moment from the Gospel John (4:1–42). Here, Jesus engages in conversation with a Samaritan at Jacob's well, transcending social and ethnic barriers to offer "living water"—a metaphor for spiritual redemption. Painted in oil on wood, this compact work (25 x 19¼ inches) invites close contemplation, its modest panel format typical of Dutch Golden Age pieces meant for personal devotion rather than grand altars. Rembrandt, the 17th-century master of light and shadow, employs his signature chiaroscuro ...