Jesus And The Samaritan Woman, Embroidery In Satin Stitch And Bullion Thread, 18th Century

Christ and the Samaritan Woman, embroidery in satin stitch and bullion thread after the episode recounted in the Gospel according to Saint John (IV, 4-29), 18th century. Interesting representation of the female figure, whose dynamic posture recalls the Renaissance archetype of the Florentine Ninfa (notably in Ghirlandaio's work, particularly in the Tornabuoni Chapel), a liminal figure of the passage, in this case from the Old to the New Law - from Mosaic Law to the Grace of the Savior, while at the same time the lifting of the veil indicates (in addition to this belonging to those "survivals" defined by Aby Warburg: ancient maenad, Renaissance nymph...) the sudden irruption of the Holy Spirit through this pneumatic effect. Interestingly, the Samaritan woman is depicted directly beneath an ancient triumphal arch and city, while Jesus is placed near a tree, whose luxuriant symbolism in the Christian West would be too lengthy to recount here (but one should first think of the Tree of Jesse), a further indication of this shift from a world sub lege (regularly depicted as destroyed: cf. the ceiling of the Hall of Constantine in the Apostolic Palace, or Mantegna's Saint Sebastian) to a world sub gratia. The hand on the heart completes the depiction of a spiritual conversion, also recalling famous figurative solutions such as the figure of Eliezer in Poussin's Eliezer and Rebecca (1648/1649, Louvre Museum). Later giltwood frame. This beautiful little devotional book is in remarkable condition and freshness. Overall dimensions: 26 x 23 cm. Visible dimensions: 23 x 20 cm.