The Meeting of Jacob and Rachel at the Well
Original title: The Meeting of Jacob And Rachel at the Well
kurzbeschreibung
Jacob's meeting with Rachel at the well is the subject of this drawing by Rembrandt, made between 1640 and 1649. Worked in pen and brown ink, washed and heightened with white gouache, the sheet sets the biblical episode in a rural landscape dotted with further figures and animals. The image is laid out in a horizontal format.
Description
Two figures stand in the foreground, apparently deep in conversation; one holds a staff, the other wears traditional dress. Behind them people and sheep appear in a rural setting. Trees and shrubs frame the action and reinforce the natural setting. The layout stretches broadly and horizontally, with the figures and their surroundings at its heart. Brown and grey tones dominate, produced by ink and brushwork.
Context
Made in Amsterdam in the 1640s, this drawing belongs to a period in which biblical subjects strongly shaped Rembrandt's work. The well scene follows the narrative in the Book of Genesis and recurs several times in his output. The sheet probably served either as an independent work of art or as a preliminary study for an etching. A framing line in pen and brown ink surrounds the drawing, pointing to careful execution.
Impact
The delicate handling and calm arrangement give the drawing an intimate, storytelling note. Ink and white heightening create a lively surface against which the figures stand out clearly. The natural setting and the animals lend the scene an idyllic, almost genre-like mood.
Technique
Pen and brown ink form the basis, supplemented by washes applied with a brown brush and white heightening in gouache. This allowed Rembrandt to set both fine contours and broad tonal values. At 16.8 x 26.7 cm the paper format is compact for a drawing and suggests careful, detailed work.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)