Christ and the Samaritan Woman

As with all history painters, the landscape constitutes a backdrop – a view into the distance, lending the painting a spatial quality. In the style of Poussin, Colombel fills the distance with imaginary buildings in a landscape of hills, mountains and forests, animated by miniature figures. The buildings are not taken from any real context, but their combination reflects the idea of a harmonious world. The structure is comparable with that of the following picture by Gaspard Dughet (1615–1675), even if the latter was not aiming for such a smooth finish.
This inner peace accords with the artistic rendering of the subject: the Samaritan woman listening with rapt attention to the words of Christ (John 4, 4–42). Leaning against the well, holding a rope and with her right hand on the bucket, she bows her head towards the Son of God, who asks her for a drink and tells her of the water of life. In the distance between them we can see the temple of the Samaritans, to the right the city of Sychar and the approaching disciples.
Colombel’s clear style of painting is characterised by the cool colours of the two protagonists and the warm background shades, completely in keeping with the academic concept of the time.

HABERSATTER Thomas: Colombel Nicolas, Christ and the Samaritan, in: DUCKE Astrid, HABERSATTER Thomas, OEHRING Erika: Masterworks. Residenzgalerie Salzburg. Salzburg 2015, p. 120