Robert Thorburn (British, 1836–1885)
Eliezer and Rebecca at the Well, 1873
Oil on canvas, 50 x 39 3/4 in.
1998.1

This work was originally attributed to Robert Thorburn’s son, the famed animal painter Archibald Thorburn, and given the title The Golden Bracelet. Recent research has shown, however, that this painting is more likely the work of the elder Thorburn, who presented a work with the same subject matter at the Royal Academy summer exhibition in 1873, entitled Eliezer and Rebecca at the well. This scene is taken from the Bible (Genesis 24:1-67) and relates how Abraham and his servant Eliezer found a wife for Abraham’s son Isaac. Abraham sent Eliezer to his birthplace of Aram Naharaim to find a bride, rather than have Isaac marry a local Canaanite girl. Once there, Eliezer devised a test to find the ideal bride for Isaac; he stood by a well and waited for a girl to come and offer him and his camels water. Rebecca soon arrived and drew water from the well for Eliezer, to which the servant responded by announcing his purpose there and by offering her jewelry as a token from his master, including a gold bracelet. Rebecca took the gold bracelet, consented to the marriage proposal, which her family approved of shortly thereafter, and then journeyed with Eliezer to meet Isaac and Abraham.