Carlo Pellicani (after Carlo Buzzi), Rebecca and Eliezer at the Well
1807-13
Marble
West façade, Milan Cathedral
In the Book of Genesis Abraham sends his servant Eliezer to the city of Nachor to find a wife for his son Isaac. This relief pictures what happened in Genesis 24:11-20. Eliezer had arrived at the well outside Nachor and asked a "comely maid" for a drink. She "let down the pitcher upon her arm, and gave him drink" and then offered to water his camels as well. Eliezer knows that this is a sign that God has destined her to be Isaac's bride.
The image follows the text quite literally. The camels are in the background, the well in the foreground, and Rebecca is indeed giving Eliezer water by holding the pitcher on her arm.
The young lad on the left is not in the narrative, but he balances the composition and aligns it with nearby panels on Judith and Jael, which also have one woman, one man, and one servant.
View this image in full resolution.
Read more about images of Isaac, Rebecca, and Eliezer.
Photographed at the cathedral by Richard Stracke, shared under Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license.