Christus en de Samaritaanse vrouw 1662 - 1693

Curator: This is Jean Pesne's "Christus en de Samaritaanse vrouw," or "Christ and the Samaritan Woman," an engraving dating from the latter half of the 17th century and residing here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: It’s austere, isn’t it? The stark hatching and cross-hatching give the whole scene a feeling of a laborious, painstaking method. The composition is rigid, yet compelling. Curator: The rigidity stems from Pesne’s commitment to Baroque ideals—note the dramatic staging, the classical architecture framing the scene, all reinforcing the narrative’s solemnity and the divine encounter taking place. Editor: Indeed, that divine encounter comes to life through earthly objects. Notice the well and water jar – made from humble materials. Consider the physical work represented. Women fetched water every day. The act of depiction emphasizes mundane, tangible aspects of ancient life. Curator: Precisely! Pesne uses contrasting textures – the smoothness of Christ’s drapery, against the rough hewn stone, the townscape. A beautiful system of formal balance supports the theological ideas, creating the dramatic focus between Christ and the woman. Editor: But beyond mere texture, what interests me is how prints allowed a story like this to proliferate and be easily replicated. Labor went into disseminating these religious stories to new, wider audiences. One step closer to widespread accessibility and religious independence from larger structures. Curator: Well, from my vantage point, I admire the technical facility demonstrated by Pesne and the ability to portray profound narrative tension through this very rigorous medium, engraving. Editor: And from mine, this is a powerful statement of labor – of religious ideas spread by manual reproduction, connecting biblical scenes to the social context of creation itself. Curator: A fascinating blend, I'd say, between form and substance. Editor: Exactly! Method and message, material made meaningful.