Christ and the Samaritan[1] Woman

1624 or 1626 　Oil on canvas, 44 x 42 inches

Abraham Bloemaert (Dutch, 1564-1651)　

　　Bloemaert was the leading landscape and history painter in Utrecht. He also taught other important Dutch painters, including Jan Both and Hendrick Terbrugghen[2]. A significant part of his output included altar pieces[3] for Catholic churches and private chapels for which this painting may have been completed. It depicts the story of Christ meeting with the woman of Samaria from the Gospel of John (4:1-20)[4], a parable of tolerance. While the religious authorities of Jesus's day generally denounced[5]and shunned[6] the Samaritans as heretical, he does not reject this woman. Rather[7], he extends to her and her compatriots the hand of compassion and possible salvation[8]. Bloemaert infuses the painting ith layers of meaning. Jacob's well is not merely a picturesque setting for a meeting of strangers, but a symbol of the sacrament of baptism. The butterfly at Christ's feet represents the transitory nature of human existence. The crosslike armature for the well pulley, above Christ's head, provides a tragic foreboding of his future martyrdom.

《基督和撒马利亚女人》

1624年或1626年作 油画 44 x 42 英寸

亚伯拉罕·布洛姆纳特 （荷兰, 1564年—1651年）

布洛姆纳特是乌特勒支（荷兰中部城市）最重要的风景和历史题材画家。他也教授荷兰的其他著名画家，其中有简·伯斯和海瑞克·特布瑞根。他的作品中一个很重要的部分包括了为天主教堂和私人礼拜堂所画的祭坛画，而这幅作品可能就是为私人礼拜堂所作的。这幅画描绘了耶稣遇到撒马利亚女人的情景。故事取自《约翰福音》的第4章从第1节至20节，是一个有关忍受苦难的寓言。尽管在耶稣所处的时代，（犹太教的）宗教领袖指责撒马利亚人为异端，对撒马利亚人避之不及。但耶稣并没有舍弃这个女人，相反，他对她和她的同胞们伸出了同情和拯救之手。布洛纳姆特为这幅画注入了多层内涵。雅各的井不仅是为使互相陌生的人们相遇而设的背景，而且是洗圣礼的象征。落在耶稣脚上的蝴蝶代表人生短暂的本质。在耶稣头顶上方的水井十字架状的滑轮则是对他后来殉难的一个悲剧性的预兆。