John 4
The Woman at the Well in Biblical Art
The woman at the well gives artists a scene of conversation, thirst, worship, and unexpected revelation.
Bible and Art Context
John 4 turns an ordinary request for water into a conversation about living water and true worship. Duccio frames the meeting with clarity and restraint, keeping attention on the exchange between Jesus and the Samaritan woman.
Public domain
Christ and the Samaritan Woman
Duccio di Buoninsegna, circa 1310-1311, Tempera on panel
The well becomes the visual center of a conversation about thirst, worship, and recognition.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
CC0
Christ and the Woman of Samaria
Benedetto Luti, 1715-1720, Oil on copper
Luti gives the exchange a quieter devotional tone, keeping the well-side conversation focused on attention, gesture, and recognition.
Source: The Met Open AccessQuestions about Woman at the Well in Art
Where is the woman at the well in the Bible?
Jesus speaks with the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4.
Why is the well important in the artwork?
The well anchors the physical scene while Jesus turns the conversation toward living water.