The Good Samaritan Arriving at the Inn c. 1660

Constantijn Daniel van Renesse made this pen and brown ink drawing called 'The Good Samaritan Arriving at the Inn', sometime in the 17th century. It illustrates a parable from the Gospel of Luke, where a Samaritan helps a wounded traveler, embodying Christian charity. Van Renesse was a student of Rembrandt, and you can see the master’s influence in the loose, expressive lines and the focus on human drama. This was a period of significant social and religious change in the Dutch Republic. The rise of a merchant class created new forms of wealth and new opportunities for artistic patronage. The Protestant Reformation had also changed the way people related to religion. Charity became a key theme in art of the time. Artists like Van Renesse used biblical stories to comment on contemporary social issues, emphasizing individual responsibility and the importance of helping those in need. They made art in the spirit of civic duty. To learn more, one might look at the inventories of collectors at the time or consult church records to understand poor relief in the community. Art offers a window onto the values and concerns of its time.