Guercino ('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 words through the varying glances and the eloquently gesturing hands.
