PROVENANCE: Probably sold, The Hague, May 25, 1772, lot 27; Germanis, at Dorking, first half of the 20th century; London art market, 1989; Sotheby's sale, July 3, 1996; BJU, 1996; M&G, 1999.

Abraham Bloemaert, whose career spanned more than 50 years, adapted to several major changes in prevailing artistic styles. His art began firmly rooted in the late mannerist tradition with its elongated figure-types and complex compositions, but later changed to the tenebrist style brought from Italy by some of his students. He gained the notice of Peter Paul Rubens, who visited his studio in 1627. As the master of many important Dutch painters, including Terbrugghen, van Bijlert, and Honthorst, Bloemaert is considered one of most important and influential Dutch artists of the early 17th century.

The subject of Christ and the Samaritan Woman enjoyed popularity for many generations in the Netherlands. Artists traditionally painted this theme in a horizontal (landscape) orientation; however, Bloemaert chose a vertical presentation. In spite of the upward direction of the canvas, Bloemaert still shows some wonderful elements of the natural environment. A looming tree arches over the scene like a canopy and leads to the left where ivy grows on the wall. Christ's hand and robe provide a break before a cascading branch of carefully studied leaves frames the bottom of the picture. To the lower right is a copper bucket still life, anticipating Chardin.

The extensive pentimenti found on the front wall of the well clearly reveal Bloemaert's radical change of mind about the style of the woman's dress. Marcel Roethlisberger has deduced that this change, along with the later addition of the foreground foliage, was the result of a reworking (for an unknown reason) that led to Bloemaert's decision to add a second signature.