Eliezer et Rebecca c. 19th century

Curator: This is Auguste Gaspard Louis Boucher Desnoyer's print, "Eliezer et Rebecca," housed right here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It feels so staged, almost theatrical, with all those figures frozen in mid-action around the well. Curator: The image portrays the biblical scene where Eliezer, sent by Abraham, seeks a wife for Isaac. The woman who offers him water, and waters his camels, is destined to be Isaac’s wife, Rebecca. Editor: The offering of water becomes a potent symbol of hospitality, and the promise of abundance—both physical and spiritual, doesn't it? It also speaks to the critical role of women in these ancient narratives, doesn't it? Curator: Absolutely. It’s fascinating how Boucher Desnoyers presents this intimate moment within a highly structured, almost neoclassical composition, reflecting the artistic conventions and the social gaze of his time. Editor: It’s less about raw emotional storytelling and more about conveying a sense of idealized virtue and divine providence, if you will. That’s interesting. Curator: Indeed, a reflection of the values and expectations projected onto this biblical narrative through the lens of 19th-century European culture. Editor: Thank you. It's helpful to consider these visual cues, and how they continue to echo through art history.