Boerin bij een waterbron 1655 - 1733

Bernard Picart's etching presents us with a seemingly simple scene: a woman by a well. Yet, the image of a woman drawing water is laden with symbolic weight, reaching back to ancient times. In antiquity, the well was not merely a source of water, but a locus of encounter, often depicted as a meeting point for courtship and revelation. We recall Rebecca at the well, an episode rich with biblical and romantic undertones. The act of offering water carries a profound symbolic meaning. It is associated with purity, life, and renewal. The woman's gentle demeanor, coupled with the life-giving water, evokes an archetypal image of nurturance. This imagery is not static; it shifts and evolves. In some contexts, it symbolizes fertility, in others, wisdom or cleansing. The well, like the human psyche, is deep and enigmatic, and invites contemplation. Picart’s boerin is part of a long, cyclical progression, resurfacing in different eras, continuously reshaped by collective memory.