Landscape with the Good Samaritan 1600 - 1660

Adam Elsheimer's "Landscape with the Good Samaritan" (1600 - 1610) depicts a scene from the New Testament parable of the Good Samaritan. The painting showcases Elsheimer's masterful use of light and shadow, creating a dramatic and atmospheric effect. The central figures, the Samaritan tending to the wounded man, are bathed in a warm glow, while the surrounding landscape is shrouded in shadow. The scene is set in a lush forest, with a distant view of a village and a church, highlighting the contrast between the natural world and the human world. Elsheimer's keen attention to detail, combined with his innovative use of chiaroscuro, makes this small painting a powerful and moving depiction of the parable.