The Good Samaritan 1618 - 1622

Domenico Fetti painted "The Good Samaritan" on canvas sometime in the early 17th century. Fetti was working in Venice at this time, where the ruling families invested heavily in art as a mark of their status. Here, he pictures a well-known parable from the Bible in which a traveler is rescued by a stranger. Note the sensitivity and gentle handling of paint, which speaks to the artist’s careful consideration of human suffering. But Fetti was also a savvy operator in the art world. We might wonder if this painting also operated as a kind of advertisement for his own compassion and willingness to serve the needs of his wealthy patrons. To understand it better, scholars investigate how the Church and private wealth operated in Venice, as well as examining the changing status of artists during the period. Seen in this light, the painting’s meaning is not just religious, but social too.