Jan Saenredam’s engraving, “The Samaritan Woman at the Well”, c1595, after Goltzius

Jan Saenredam (c1565–1607)

“The Samaritan Woman at the Well” (aka “La Samaritaine”; “De Samaritaanse vrouw”), c1595, Plate 2 from the series of six engravings, “Famous Women of the New Testament Saved by Christ”, after the design by Hendrik Goltzius (aka Hendrick Goltzius) (1558–1617).

Engraving on laid paper trimmed close to the platemark with loss to the lower edge and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 18.6 x 13.6 cm; (image borderline) 17.2 x 13.5 cm.

Inscribed on plate within the image borderline: (lower left corner) “2”; (lower right) “[ligature initials] HGoltzius Inuvent. […] I. Saenredam Sculpt.”

Lettered on plate below the image borderline: (centre) “Quæ solita est viles e fonte hauvive liquores/ Nunc vivas Christi numine promif aquas.”; (lower right corner) “Balthasarus. Schonęus”.

State i (of iv) before the alteration of the plate number from “2” to “1” in state ii (see a state ii impression held by the NGV: https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/explore/collection/work/36379/).

TIB 4 (3). 46 (237) (Walter L Strauss [ed.] 1980, “The Illustrated Bartsch: Netherlandish Artists”, vol. 4, New York, Abaris Books, p. 362, cat. no. 46 [237]); Hollstein Dutch 36-1(3) (George Shepard Keyes [comp.] 1980, “Dutch and Flemish Etchings, Engravings and Woodcuts ca. 1450–1700: Jan Saenredam to Roelandt Savery”, vol. 23, Amsterdam, Van Gendt & Co, p. 33, cat. no. 36).

The Rijksmuseum offers the following description of this print:

(Transl.) “The Samaritan woman at the well, a water pitcher in her hand. In the background the meeting between Christ and the Samaritan woman at the well. The print has a Latin caption and is part of a series of famous women from the New Testament” (http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.169305).

See also the excellent description of this print (from the same first state as this impression) along with other prints from the same series offered by Spaightwoodgalleries: http://www.spaightwoodgalleries.com/Pages/Saenredam.html.

For those interested in the Biblical story behind this print, see “The Gospel According to John”, 4:4-42: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%204%3A4-42&version=NIV.

Condition: a well-printed lifetime (first state) impression, trimmed close to the platemark with a small loss to the lower writing edge and laid upon an archival support sheet of millennium quality washi paper. There is a restored and replenished area at the upper right, otherwise, the sheet is in a good condition with no significant stains or foxing.

I am selling this small masterpiece of engraving exemplifying the period style of Mannerism, for the total cost of AU$438 (currently US$339.56/EUR280.61/GBP244,64 at the time of this listing) including Express Mail (EMS) postage and handling to anywhere in the world, but not (of course) any import duties/taxes imposed by some countries.

If you are interested in purchasing this exceptionally fine engraving executed by one of the most famous of the old master printmakers—note the delicacy of the engraver’s touch to render the silken fabric billowing behind the woman at the well—please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

This print has been sold