The artwork titled “Job and His Wife” was created by the German artist Albrecht Dürer in 1504. It’s an oil painting on panel that falls under the religious painting genre and was created during the Northern Renaissance period.
The painting depicts a scene from the Biblical story of Job, focusing on a moment of intimate distress and companionship between Job and his wife. Job is seated on the ground, naked except for a cloth covering his lower body, and appears weary and contemplative, with sores visible on his skin, referencing the trials and physical afflictions he suffered. His head is bowed, and his hand supports his chin in a classic pose of reflection or sorrow.
Standing beside him is his wife, dressed in a vibrant red gown with puffed sleeves, hinting at Northern Renaissance fashion. She is holding a bucket from which water pours over Job’s head, possibly to ease his suffering from the sores. Her expression is one of concern and care, as she attentively performs this act of mercy. The background features a distant landscape, contributing to the narrative while focusing the viewer’s attention on the two central figures.
This religious work conveys not only the torment of Job but also the support and empathy of his wife, making it a powerful representation of steadfastness and marital bond in the face of adversity.
