Christ and the Woman of Samaria

Art Historical Context

In Lucas Cranach the Elder's *Christ and the Woman of Samaria a delicate woodcut from the first of three, we witness a pivotal biblical encounter from the Gospel of John4:1–42). Christ, seated at Jacob's well, converses with a Samaritan woman drawing water, symbolizing themes of spiritual thirst, redemption, and breaking social barriers—Jews and Samaritans rarely interacted, and women were often overlooked in public discourse. Cranach, a leading German Renaissance artist (1472–1553) and close ally of Martin Luther, infuses the scene with his signature elegance: slender figures, intricate drapery, and a harmonious landscape that blends narrative clarity with subtle symbolism. This print exemplifies the Northern Renaissance mastery of woodcuts, a relief printing technique where the artist carves into wood blocks to create bold, expressive lines ideal for mass production. As the first state, it preserves the purest, most detailed impression before later editions were altered, making it a prized rarity for collectors. Produced likely in Cranach's Wittenberg workshop around the early 16th century, it reflects the era's fervor for disseminating Protestant imagery to the faithful. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department (acquired via the Harris Brisbane Dick Fund in 1926), this 10 7/8 × 6 3/16 in. sheet invites visitors to ponder timeless questions of faith and humanity through Cranach's vivid storytelling.

About the Artist

Lucas Cranach the Elder · 1472–1553

Lucas Cranach the Elder (c. 1472-1553) was one of the most prominent German Renaissance painters and a key artistic figure of the Protestant Reformation. Born in Kronach, Franconia, to the painter Hans Maler, Cranach began his career in Vienna around 1502, where he became one of the founders of the Danube School, a movement characterized by expressive landscape painting and emotional force. His ea...