1 / 7
painting of a man and a woman with a dog in a landscapean oil painting of a woman standing next to a water wellan image of a painting of a man sitting on a ledgea painting of a man and a dog in a wooded areaan image of a painting of a man and a woman in a landscapepainting of a woman with a dog and a pot on a ledgean image of a picture of a window with a screen in it
Premium La Suite Subastas

68 - Pedro de Orrente (Murcia, 1580 – Valencia, 1645) “The Encoun…

Estimate €10,000 - €18,000
Sale commission
Description
Pedro de Orrente (Murcia, 1580 – Valencia, 1645) “The Encounter Between Jesus and the Samaritan Woman” Oil on canvas. 81 x 102 cm. A certificate of authenticity by Mr. Jose Gómez Frechina is attached. José Gómez Frechina attributes the present painting to Pedro Orrente on the basis of both its close compositional relationship to other known versions of the subject and a series of stylistic characteristics that he considers fully autograph features of the Murcian master. The author points out that this Christ and the Samaritan Woman at the Well constitutes a previously unpublished work within Orrente’s catalogue, although the composition was already known through another autograph version published by Diego Angulo and Alfonso E. Pérez Sánchez, as well as through a third variant executed by a follower of the artist. According to Frechina, the close correspondence among these compositions fits perfectly within the workshop practices inherited from the Bassano family, whereby Orrente developed multiple versions of successful inventions in order to meet the demand for commissions. From a stylistic standpoint, Frechina states that the characteristics of the painting “reveal the autograph character of Pedro Orrente,” highlighting in particular “the typical zigzag folds of the draperies, the contrasted use of light and shadow, the accuracy of the drawing, the detailed anatomical study, the rich colouring, the vigorous brushwork of the sky, and the mastery in the depiction of animals, all of which refer back to his Venetian training.” He further emphasizes the presence of elements that recur throughout Orrente’s oeuvre, such as the landscape structured by “the painter’s characteristic masses of trees silhouetted against a bluish sky with clouds,” a formula that appears repeatedly in securely attributed works by the artist. The composition unfolds within an expansive natural setting in which Christ, seated beside the well, converses with the Samaritan woman while the Apostles advance in the distance towards an urban centre. Frechina also draws attention to certain architectural motifs in the background. The domed building crowned by a lantern, he notes, appears in other autograph works by Orrente, including the Crucifixion in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, and several versions of the Wedding at Cana. This recurring architectural feature provides an additional and significant point of comparison in support of the attribution. Particular importance is attached to the dog positioned beside the Samaritan woman. Frechina relates this detail to Orrente’s renowned skill as an animal painter, recalling the praise bestowed upon him by Francisco Pacheco in his Arte de la Pintura (1649), where Orrente is celebrated as one of Spain’s foremost painters of animals. This aspect of his production also explains why art historical tradition has long referred to him as the “Spanish Bassano.” Taken together, the compositional correspondence with other autograph versions, the technical quality of the execution, the presence of recurring landscape and architectural motifs, and the specific stylistic features identified by Gómez Frechina constitute the principal arguments supporting the attribution of the painting to Pedro Orrente. The work may therefore be integrated with full coherence into the mature corpus of Pedro Orrente, standing as a valuable testimony to the narrative power and refined naturalism that characterize the production of the artist traditionally known as the “Spanish Bassano.” Set within a richly wooded landscape and displaying a clear Italianate sense of staging and composition, this painting depicts the encounter between Christ and the Samaritan woman, one of the most celebrated episodes of the New Testament (John 4:5–42). In this passage, Christ pauses to rest beside Jacob’s Well in Sychar and breaks through the cultural barriers of his time by asking a Samaritan woman for water. The universal message conveyed by the episode is that, by speaking to a Samaritan—a group marginalized by the Jewish community—and forgiving her past, Christ demonstrates that his message of salvation is intended for all humanity. During their conversation, Christ offers her “living water,” symbolizing divine grace and the Holy Spirit, explaining that whoever drinks from it shall never again experience spiritual thirst. It is also in this dialogue that Christ openly reveals his identity as the Messiah. The episode teaches that God seeks worshippers who adore Him “in spirit and in truth,” regardless of any physical temple or earthly sanctuary. This beautiful painting is remarkable for the naturalness of its figures, whose gestures, expressions, glances and movements are rendered with extraordinary sensitivity. Particular attention is devoted to the eloquence of the hands and faces, which communicate the spiritual depth of the encounter with quiet dignity and humanity. A true jewel by one of the masters of the Spanish Golden Age, this work possesses the rare ability to enhance any private or museum collection. It invites silent contemplation, conveying a profound sense of peace through a scene of sacra conversazione that is simple, intimate, relaxed and deeply human.
About the sale Dialogues with the Past: Vestigia
Auction location
Auction time 07/02/2026 at 7:00 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
You may also like