Whilst showing clear and obvious signs of wear there is still much to learn and appreciate from this drawing. A close inspection reveals two figures sat in front of a tree. Christ himself features throughout Michelangelo's career, across all mediums in which this Renaissance master was involved.
The woman found here is drawing water from the well of Jacob. Christ's meeting with her is covered in St. John’s Gospel. Christ himself would teach the woman about the strength of his own words which could benefit her more than the water that she had been craving.
The poor condition of this artwork means that there have been issues with attributing it to Michelangelo. The likeliest explanation is that he did indeed produce this drawing, but there is a possibility that it came from one of his pupils after copying another of his drawings.
Christians are well catered for within the Renaissance, many of the most significant artists of all time took key religious themes into their work. The Papal States of Italy, where the Renaissance began, was heavily influenced by religion during this period, as with most of the rest of Europe.
The art from these masters helped to re-inforce the power of religious teachings, particularly when decorating the finest architecture in the country. This would lead to a sort of arms-race where commissions would be competitively prices in order to make each state's buildings more grand than its rival's.
