Christ with the Woman Taken in Adultery
Rembrandt, 1644
IdentityPre-1850
Overview
About This Work
The Woman Taken in Adultery (1644) is one of Rembrandt's most celebrated biblical narrative paintings, demonstrating his exceptional storytelling ability and mastery of light. Housed in the National Gallery, London (one of its founding acquisitions in 1824), this oil on oak panel measures a relatively modest 83.8 x 65.4 cm. Despite its small scale, it suggests monumental space. The painting depicts the dramatic episode from the Gospel of John (8:1–11) where scribes and Pharisees bring a woman accused of adultery before Jesus, hoping to trap him into contradicting Mosaic Law (which mandated stoning). Rembrandt captures the pivotal moment before Christ delivers his famous verdict: "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her." Unlike his earlier, physically dynamic baroque works, this painting (from his middle period) relies on psychological tension, stillness, and the symbolic use of light to convey its moral message. It contrasts the hypocrisy and grandeur of the religious establishment with the humility and compassion of Christ.
Visual Analysis
Composition
Vast Interior vs. Small Figures: Rembrandt places the human drama within a cavernous, towering temple interior. The figures occupy only the lower foreground, dwarfed by the massive architecture soaring above them. This spatial relationship emphasizes the insignificance of human judgment compared to the divine scale, or perhaps the crushing weight of religious institutionality against the individual.
Pyramidal Grouping: The central figures form a loose pyramid. Christ stands at the apex (visually and morally), elevated on the steps. The kneeling woman forms the base, with the accusers clustered around her. This hierarchy immediately establishes Christ's authority despite his simple appearance.
Two Distinct Zones: The composition is divided into two main zones: the brightly lit foreground group (Christ, the woman, the accusers) and the mysterious, shadowy background. In the darkness behind, we glimpse a massive golden throne or high altar—a symbol of the Old Law and institutional power—looming over the scene but separated from the living moment of grace in the foreground.
The Void: A significant portion of the upper canvas is occupied by darkness and vague architectural forms. This "active void" creates atmosphere and suggests the spiritual weight of the setting.
Colour & Light
Theatrical Lighting: The painting is a masterpiece of chiaroscuro (strong contrast between light and dark). A supernatural or theatrical shaft of light falls from the upper left, illuminating the central group while leaving the rest of the vast temple in gloom. This is not natural light but symbolic illumination—highlighting the truth (Christ) and the sinner's vulnerability.
Symbolic Colour:
The Woman in White: The adulteress is dressed in white, traditionally a symbol of purity but here perhaps suggesting her vulnerability or the potential for redemption. It contrasts sharply with the dark robes of her accusers.
The Accuser in Black: The Pharisee lifting her veil is dressed in deep black velvet, creating a stark visual opposition to the woman.
Christ's Earth Tones: Christ wears simple, unadorned robes of brown/ochre, contrasting with the rich reds, golds, and velvets of the priests. His colours link him to the earth and humility.
Golden Gloom: The background is painted in monochromatic browns and golds, suggesting the "golden gloom" of a rich but perhaps decaying institution. The glimmering gold of the altar suggests immense wealth hidden in the shadows, contrasting with Christ's poverty.
Materials & Technique
Jewel-like Finish: As a panel painting (oil on wood), the surface is smoother and more highly finished than Rembrandt's canvas works. This allows for exquisite, miniature-like details—the embroidery on a priest's robe, the texture of a beard, the glint of light on a soldier's helmet.
Impasto vs. Glazing: Rembrandt uses impasto (thick paint) for the illuminated areas—the woman's white dress, Christ's robe—giving them physical presence and catching the light. The shadows, by contrast, are painted with thin, transparent glazes, creating depth and luminosity that seems to recede endlessly.
The "Rough" Style: Although highly detailed, the brushwork in the foreground figures shows the "roughness" (ruwe) characteristic of mature Rembrandt. He doesn't smooth away every brushstroke but allows the paint texture to suggest fabric and flesh.
Historical Context
Context
Rembrandt's Life in 1644: This painting dates to a transitional period in Rembrandt's life. His wife Saskia had died in 1642, and his popularity as a portraitist was beginning to wane (following the Night Watch). He turned increasingly to biblical subjects and more introspective, spiritual themes. The compassionate subject matter may reflect his own personal experiences with grief and perhaps judgment (he began a relationship with his son's nursemaid, Geertje Dircx, which caused scandal).
Dutch Protestantism: In the Calvinist Dutch Republic, religious art was generally banned from churches (iconoclasm). Therefore, biblical paintings like this were intended for private homes (cabinet pictures)—meant for close, personal contemplation rather than public worship. This explains the small scale and intimate psychological focus.
Mennonite Influence: Some scholars suggest Rembrandt had sympathies with the Mennonites (a Protestant sect emphasising pacifism, adult baptism, and literal interpretation of the Bible). The theme of forgiveness and rejection of harsh dogmatic law aligns closely with Mennonite theology.
The "Old Law" vs. "New Law": The architectural setting evokes the grandeur of the Jewish Temple, but possibly mediated through Rembrandt's knowledge of contemporary synagogues in Amsterdam. He lived in the Jewish Quarter and often used Jewish neighbours as models, striving for (what he considered) historical authenticity in dress and physiognomy.
Key Themes
Identities (Judgment, Hypocrisy, Redemption)
Hypocrisy and Judgment: The painting is a visual treatise on hypocrisy. The accusers are richly dressed, self-righteous, and eager to condemn. The central Pharisee lifting the woman's veil violates her dignity to expose her "sin," yet Christ exposes their sin. The painting invites the viewer to question their own tendency to judge.
The Vulnerable Individual: The woman is depicted kneeling, weeping, and physically lower than everyone else. She is isolated. Rembrandt humanizes the "sinner," making her the object of sympathy rather than condemnation.
Christ as Human/Divine: Christ is depicted not as a glorious king but as a humble teacher—barefoot, simple-haired. His authority comes from his calm presence and moral clarity, not from robes or setting. He is portrayed as fully human yet channeling divine mercy.
Mercy vs. Law: The massive, dark architecture represents the weight of the Law (Mosaic Law mandated stoning). The small, lit figure of Christ represents Grace/Mercy. The visual contrast (massive dark building vs. human light) creates a theological argument: the institution is vast and crushing, but the individual act of mercy is the true light.
Exam Focus Points
Critical Perspectives
The "Anti-Baroque" Composition: While Rubens (Rembrandt's contemporary) would have painted this scene with swirling motion and dramatic gestures, Rembrandt paints it with stillness. The drama is internal. Christ does not gesture wildly; the accusers wait. The tension is in the silence.
Orientalism and Exoticism: Rembrandt dresses the Pharisees in what he imagined to be "Oriental" or biblical costume—turbans, rich embroideries. This reflects the 17th-century European fascination with the "East" but also serves to distance the scene into a biblical past.
The High Priest in the Shadows: In the background darkness, barely visible, is a High Priest seated on a throne. He represents the old hierarchy, oblivious or indifferent to the moral revolution happening on the steps below. This subtle detail reinforces the critique of institutional religion.
Scale and Intimacy: A key point for analysis is how Rembrandt creates monumentality in miniature. The painting feels huge because of the architecture, but is physically small. This draws the viewer in physically (you have to get close to see it), paralleling the intimacy of the moment of forgiveness.