Rebecca and Eliezer 1663 - 1743

Robert van Audenaerde created this engraving, "Rebecca and Eliezer", sometime between 1663 and 1743. It illustrates a scene from the Book of Genesis, presenting a moment of divine selection and social interaction at a well. In this print, we see Rebecca offering water to Eliezer and his camels, a gesture of hospitality that signals her destined role as Isaac's wife. The well becomes a stage where gender roles and social expectations are both performed and scrutinized. Who gets to drink from the well? Who is serving who and why? These women’s labor is essential, yet their stories often remain peripheral. The narrative of Rebecca is more than a romantic tale; it touches on themes of servitude, duty, and the limited choices available to women. This image invites us to consider the power dynamics inherent in these encounters.