Artwork
Rebecca at the Well
Rebecca at the Well is an oil painting by the Mannerist artist Veronese. It is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The work is classified as religious art, painted by Paolo Veronese in 1585, and entered the National Gallery of Art through the Samuel H.
The canvas portrays the biblical episode in which Rebecca offers water to Abraham’s servant, a scene identified as the main subject in the National Gallery of Art catalogue. In the composition a half‑naked woman stands beside an elderly man, a dwarf, a Moor, and several camels, the traditional entourage that signals hospitality and the covenant between God and Abraham. The inclusion of these figures, recorded in the 1613 inventory of Charles de Croy’s collection, underscores the Counter‑Reformation emphasis on charitable virtue.
The work is classified as religious art, painted by Paolo Veronese in 1585, and entered the National Gallery of Art through the Samuel H. Kress Foundation in 1952.
History & Provenance
Executed in 1585, this oil on canvas by Paolo Veronese entered the collection of Charles de Croy, 4th Duke of Aarschot, residing at the Château de Beaufort by the time of his death in 1612. An inventory from that year describes the work alongside companion pieces. In 1619, George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, purchased the painting from the duke's widow, Dorothée.
It subsequently passed to his son, the 2nd Duke of Buckingham, before being acquired in Antwerp in 1650 by Archduke Leopold Wilhelm of Austria on behalf of Emperor Ferdinand III.
The artwork joined the Habsburg Imperial Collection, remaining in Prague until 1876 before transferring to Vienna. It stayed within the Kunsthistorisches Museum until February 1952, when it was sold through M. Knoedler & Co. to the Samuel H. Kress Foundation. Later that year, the foundation gifted the painting to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.
Rebecca at the Well has been in the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., since 1952, when it was given by the Samuel H. Kress Foundation as part of the Samuel H. Kress Collection. The painting had been sold to the Kress Foundation in February 1952 through M. Knoedler & Co., with offices in London, New York, and Paris.
Before entering the Kress Foundation, the work belonged to the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna. It had earlier been held in the Habsburg Imperial Collection, housed at Prague Castle until 1876 and subsequently transferred to Vienna. The painting entered the imperial holdings in 1650, when Leopold Wilhelm, archduke of Austria, purchased it in Antwerp on behalf of his brother, Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand III, and brought it to Prague.
Prior to that, the canvas descended through English aristocratic ownership, passing in 1619 from the estate of Charles de Croy, 4th duc d'Arschot, to George Villiers, 1st duke of Buckingham, at York House in London, and then by inheritance to his son, the 2nd duke of Buckingham. The earliest documented appearance of the painting is in the 1613 posthumous inventory of the duc d'Arschot's collection at the Château de Beaufort in Hainaut, where it is recorded as entry no. 52.
Overview
This painting, titled Rebecca at the Well, is an oil on canvas work by the Italian Renaissance artist Veronese, created around 1585. It depicts a scene from the Old Testament, focusing on the biblical figure of Rebecca during a pivotal moment at a well. The artwork exemplifies Veronese's approach to religious narrative through rich visual storytelling.
Technique & Style
Veronese employs a striking use of color and contrast to define the scene. The older man's brilliant orange robe immediately draws the eye, standing out against the deeper tones of the background. The woman's light complexion and the red of her skirt further enhance this visual interplay.
Despite the detailed activity, the overall atmosphere remains composed, set within a natural environment that contributes to the painting's serene yet dynamic quality.
Artist & collection
