Artwork
Parable of the unjust steward (Luke 16:1-13)
Parable of the unjust steward (Luke 16:1-13) is an oil painting by Unknown. It is held in the collection of the National Museum in Warsaw.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The depiction anchors the theological lesson in a tangible, domestic interior, emphasizing the human elements of stewardship and accountability.
The work illustrates the Parable of the Unjust Steward from the Gospel of Luke, chapter 16. The composition features a seneschal and a lawyer situated within an office environment, directly visualizing the biblical narrative's central characters and setting. As a piece of religious art executed in oil on an oak panel, the painting serves as a visual exegesis of the scripture, focusing on the administrative and moral complexities presented in the parable.
The depiction anchors the theological lesson in a tangible, domestic interior, emphasizing the human elements of stewardship and accountability.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil paint on an oak panel support, this work measures 69.5 cm in height and 101.5 cm in width. The painting is attributed to a follower of Marinus Claeszoon van Reymerswaele and depicts figures such as a seneschal and a lawyer within an office setting, consistent with the religious genre of the Parable of the Unjust Steward. While specific details regarding the artist's handling of the brushwork or the current physical condition of the panel are not provided in the available records, the choice of oak as a support and oil as the medium aligns with the materials commonly utilized by Reymerswaele and his circle during the period.
History & Provenance
The painting is held in the National Museum in Warsaw, where it forms part of the museum’s collection of European art. It is catalogued under the inventory associated with religious works from the Northern Renaissance.
No specific accession number or detailed exhibition history is documented in the available sources. The work remains in the museum’s permanent holdings, reflecting its role in the institution’s representation of biblical narrative painting.
Legacy
The painting known as Parable of the Unjust Steward, attributed to a follower of Marinus Claeszoon van Reymerswaele, entered the collection of the National Museum in Warsaw and is classified as a religious work rendered in oil on oak panel. Contemporary scholarship identifies the depicted scene as the biblical parable from Luke 16:1-13, showing a seneschal and a lawyer in an office setting. The work's composition and iconography have informed studies of 16th‑century Netherlandish religious art, particularly in relation to economic themes within moralizing narratives.
Overview
This oil painting depicts a scene from the Parable of the Unjust Steward (Luke 16:1-13). Two men are seated at a wooden table indoors, set against a backdrop that includes indoor shelves with books and papers, and a visible outdoor town scene.
Context
Rooted in Christian scripture, the painting reflects the artist's interpretation of a moral lesson from the Gospel of Luke, targeting an audience familiar with biblical narratives.
Artist & collection
