Christ and the Woman of Samaria (Liber Studiorum, part XIV, plate 71) 1819

Joseph Mallord William Turner's "Christ and the Woman of Samaria" (1819) is a mezzotint, a printmaking technique that creates a tonal range similar to a drawing, part of his "Liber Studiorum" series. The artwork depicts the biblical scene of Christ meeting a woman at Jacob's well, rendered with Turner's signature atmospheric effects. The scene is set against the backdrop of a ruined cityscape and a grove of trees, the light emanating from the sky, further emphasizing the mystical and spiritual nature of the encounter. The artwork showcases Turner's ability to capture the sublime in both the natural and the human world, and his innovative use of mezzotint, a technique that was often used for portraits.