The Woman taken in Adultery

The Woman taken in AdulteryGuercino ('squint eyed') was largely self taught. His early style, of which this picture is typical, favoured naturalistic figures painted with rich, dark colours and sharp contrasts of light and shade. The story of the adulteress is recorded in St John's Gospel and describes how the woman is saved from being stoned to death by Christ's words: 'He that is without sin among you, let him cast a stone at her.' Guercino expresses the gentleness of these

of the type known as 'the Queen in blue'

above hovers an allegorical figure of Rome and in the foreground is a River God representing the Tiber

contrasting with the shady browns in the remainder of the picture

and Nobility on the right

Formerly catalogued as Jan Miel

Locksmiths were also seen as shady characters because not only did they make locks and keys

has been lowered

as Giltay notes

At the left edge are the hand holding a balance and part of the drapery of a figure of Saint Michael trampling the Devil (whose forearm appears at the bottom)

He was elected MP for Dorset in 1640 and created Baron Digby in 1641

was recorded by Richter in 1880

probably Ignorance