3-012-010 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

"The Meeting of Abraham's Servant with Rebekah at the Well", by W. Hilton, R.A., in the National Gallery, South Kensington, 1864. Engraving of a painting. 'The servant, when he arrives "without the city," and had made his camels kneel by a well of water "at the time of the evening, even the time that women go out to draw water," prays to the "Lord God of his master that the damsel to whom he shall say, 'Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink;' and she shall say, 'Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also:' let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac." And this prayer was miraculously answered by the immediate appearance and subsequent conduct of the beautiful virgin Rebekah. When the man was convinced that this was the maiden to whom he had been divinely directed he gave her an earring and put bracelets on her wrists and worshipped the Lord...It will, however, be at once remarked that the types of the faces, the costumes, the camels, the landscape, and other accessories, have little pretence to that strictly Eastern couleur locale seen in recent pictures from sacred story...The composition is certainly good, and...the more technical qualities of the picture...are especially noteworthy'. From "Illustrated London News", 1864.