Christ and the Samaritan Woman | MSK Gent
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Christ and the Samaritan Woman, ca. 1630 - ca. 1635

  • oil paint, canvas
  • 167 x 203.5 cm
  • Inv. 1900-A

Public Domain

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The gospel according to St. John tells that Christ met a women at Jacob’s well in Samaria and asked her for a drink. She was very taken aback by his request as the Jews and the Samaritans were hostile to one another. However, her surprise changed to astonishment when it appeared that the man before her could see into her heart. Jesus then told her about the ‘eternal water’ he could give her and revealed himself to her as the long-awaited Messiah. This subject has symbolised baptism since early Christian times. From the sixteenth century onwards the biblical story became widespread in painting. It also inspired the painter Cornelis de Vos in Antwerp to create a composition in which he combines monumentality and contemplation. We are struck by his use of warm colours and the finely depicted textiles which are characteristic of the artist’s style. The figure of Christ was inspired by the figures of Christ in the early work of Rubens, who was a friend of Cornelis de Vos. In a few details like the cherubs above Christ on the left, the head of Bacchus on the jug on the right and the half-bare breast of the Samaritan woman, De Vos indicates her ‘unchaste’ and worldly way of life.

Artist

Cornelis de Vos RKD Wikidata
Hulst 1584 - 1585 - Antwerp 1651
painters (artists)AAT

Title Christ and the Samaritan Woman
Date ca. 1630 - ca. 1635
Period 17th century
Collection paintings AAT
Object type oil paintings (visual works) AAT
Inventory number 1900-A
Acquisition credit bequest
van den Bemden d'Overwaeter, Ferdinand Marie
Ghent
1900
Current whereabouts Work on display
Permalink https://mskgent.be/collection/work/data/1900-A
IIIF Manifest https://imagehub.mskgent.be/iiif/3/314/manifest.json
Art & Architecture Thesaurus 300055874 religious symbolism AAT
Keywords Iconclass 11D Christ Iconclass
25F6 fishes Iconclass
25G4111 garland, wreath Iconclass
31A71 male sex; man Iconclass
31A72 female sex; woman Iconclass
31AA53 hairdress - AA - ~ women Iconclass
31D14 adult man Iconclass
31D15 adult woman Iconclass
41A3911 well Iconclass
41A771 container of metal: bucket, can, canister, drum, tin, etc. Iconclass
41D2211 veil Iconclass
41D27 drapery, draped garment, 'Gewandgebung' Iconclass
48C16 architectural detail Iconclass
48C161 column, pillar ~ architecture Iconclass
48C24 piece of sculpture, reproduction of a piece of sculpture Iconclass
73 New Testament Iconclass
73C public life of Christ: from his baptism until the Passion Iconclass
73C7 Christ as teacher (part I): explaining his doctrine; teaching ~ parables and proverbs Iconclass
73C722 Christ explaining his doctrine to women and children Iconclass
73C7221 the woman of Samaria (John 4:4-42) Iconclass
73C72212 Christ and the woman of Samaria: sitting at Jacob's well he asks her for a drink from her jug Iconclass
92D1916 cupids: 'amores', 'amoretti', 'putti' Iconclass
School / Style Baroque AAT
Martin De Vos, Pieter De Vos, Cornelis De Vos (Fonds Richard de Moor). - [s.l.] : [s.n.], [s.a.]
Museum van Schoone Kunsten : Catalogus ; Oude Meesters, Schilderstukken, teekeningen, plaatsneden (met geschiedkundig overzicht) / Maurice Dupuis, Georges Charles Nicolas Marie Hulin de Loo, Fritz Van Loo. - Gent : Drukkerij F. De Vos, 1938 ; Gent : Stad Gent, 1938 (p. 150)
'Cornelis de Vos (1584/5-1651) als historie- en genreschilder', in: Academiae / Katlijne Van der Stighelen, Hans Vlieghe. - [s.l.] : [s.n.], [s.a.] (p. 142-143, nr. 95)
200 jaar verzamelen : Collectieboek Museum voor Schone Kunsten Gent / Arnout Balis, Robert Hoozee, Maximiliaan P.J. Martens, Paul Van Haute. - Gent : Ludion, 2000 (p. 54, 66)
Museum voor Schone Kunsten Gent : Catalogus schilderkunst ; Deel I: 14de - 18de eeuw ; Deel II: 19de - 20ste eeuw / Robert Hoozee, Johan De Smet, Bruno Fornari, Ruth Monteyne. - Gent : Museum voor Schone Kunsten Gent, 2007 (dl. I, p. 163 (ill.))
Museum voor Schone Kunsten Gent : De collectie (tentoonstelling vanaf 21 maart 2021) / Johan De Smet, Bart Ooghe, Frederica Van Dam, Lieven Van Den Abeele, Cathérine Verleysen. - Gent : Museum voor Schone Kunsten Gent, 2021
Musée des Beaux-Arts de Gand : La Collection (exposition dès le 21 mars 2021) / Johan De Smet, Bart Ooghe, Frederica Van Dam, Lieven Van Den Abeele, Cathérine Verleysen. - Gand : Musée des Beaux-Arts de Gand, 2021
Museum of Fine Arts Ghent : The Collection (exhibition opened on March 21th 2021) / Johan De Smet, Bart Ooghe, Frederica Van Dam, Lieven Van Den Abeele, Cathérine Verleysen. - Ghent : Museum of Fine Arts Ghent, 2021
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