Christus in gesprek met de Samaritaanse vrouw 1797 - 1836

Philippus Velijn made this print, Christus in gesprek met de Samaritaanse vrouw, or Christ in conversation with the Samaritan woman, in the Netherlands sometime in the early 19th century. It’s an engraving, a medium that allowed images to be widely circulated in books and as individual prints during this time. Velijn's print depicts a scene from the Gospel of John, where Jesus encounters a Samaritan woman at Jacob's Well. This was a time of great social and religious change, and the print reflects the growing interest in personal piety and religious reform that was spreading throughout Europe. The print also engages with the cultural and religious tensions of the time. By portraying Jesus in conversation with a Samaritan woman, Velijn challenges the social norms of the time. The role of the historian is to examine these tensions using parish records, personal letters, and other historical documents. We can better understand the social and institutional context in which Velijn created this print.