Christ at the Well 1637

"Christ at the Well" is an anonymous 17th-century etching, a printmaking technique that uses an acid-resistant coating on a metal plate to create an image. The scene depicts a biblical narrative: Christ sits by a well in the midst of his disciples, as a woman approaches him. It was created in 1637, likely for a devotional audience, and exemplifies the graphic arts' importance in disseminating religious stories. The detailed depiction of the landscape and figures, including the city in the distance, is characteristic of Northern European art during this period, particularly the influence of Albrecht Dürer. The piece, now at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, exemplifies the power of etching to convey narrative and religious themes.