Lot 1013 Dα

The present work "Christ and the Samaritan Woman" was probably painted in Augsburg soon after König's return from Rome. Gode Krämer dates the painting on copper earlier than a version of the subject "Landscape with Christ and the Samaritan Woman" (fig. 1) in the Berlin Gemäldegalerie (inv. no. 1941), which is dated 1620. In the undated version "there is much more of a southern landscape ... the ruin is more authentic and corresponds to the distant landscapes, which I would date to around 1614-17." (written communication of 19 March 2024). The landscape in the distance is executed with light strokes and dots in König's characteristic manner. In the Berlin painting, the story of the encounter between Christ and the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:1-30) is shown rather remotely in the middle ground of the landscape. In the present work, the biblical story plays the main role. Jacob's well is placed in the foreground. The woman is listening to Christ's sermon and has forgotten the jug with which she actually wanted to fetch water from the well. The apostles coming from the city approach with astonishment.
Both landscapes have an Italian atmosphere.The ruin with its stacked round arches made of oblong bricks is reminiscent of the masonry of a Roman thermal bath complex. König probably used his drawings of ancient buildings in Rome as a model.
We would like to thank Dr Gode Krämer for his kind support in cataloguing this lot. He will include the picture in his catalogue raisonné of König's paintings.

Abb. 1/Ill. 1: Landschaft mit Christus und der Samariterin / Landscape with Christ and the woman of Samaria, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Gemäldegalerie, Berlin © XXXX