Artwork
The Good Samaritan
The Good Samaritan is an oil painting. It dates from 1618 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The composition focuses on the interaction between the travelers, embodying the moral themes of compassion and neighborly duty inherent in the source story.
The work depicts the Parable of the Good Samaritan, a religious narrative created in 1618. As a piece of religious art, the painting illustrates the biblical story through specific visual elements, including a man, a donkey, and a tree. These figures serve as the primary iconography representing the key actors and setting of the parable.
The composition focuses on the interaction between the travelers, embodying the moral themes of compassion and neighborly duty inherent in the source story. Created in oil paint, the piece functions as a visual retelling of this well-known scriptural event, capturing the moment of aid within a landscape setting.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1618, this religious painting utilizes oil paint applied to a wooden panel support. The work measures 60 cm in height and 43.2 cm in width. Attributed to Domenico Fetti, the composition visually renders the Parable of the Good Samaritan, incorporating specific narrative elements such as a tree, a donkey, and human figures within the scene.
The piece is classified as a painting and is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
History & Provenance
Created in 1618, this oil painting on panel is attributed to the Italian artist Domenico Fetti. The work depicts the biblical Parable of the Good Samaritan, featuring figures including a man and a donkey within a landscape setting, and measures 60 by 43.2 centimeters. It is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
The specific circumstances of its original commission and its chain of ownership prior to the museum are not enumerated in the available records, and no exhibition history is documented. It is classified as a religious genre painting from the early seventeenth century.
Overview
This oil painting, titled The Good Samaritan, depicts a solitary figure on horseback traversing a dense forest. The scene is rendered with a somber palette, emphasizing the natural surroundings and the quiet journey. The artist employs subtle illumination to highlight the central action, creating an atmosphere of introspection and gravity. The work invites contemplation on themes of aid and human connection within a natural setting.
Artist & collection
