Parabel van de Barmhartige Samaritaan 1560 - 1600

Johann Sadeler I made this engraving, titled "Parable of the Good Samaritan," around the turn of the 17th century. The story comes from the Gospel of Luke, where a Samaritan helps a man in need after others have passed him by. Sadeler was working in the Habsburg Netherlands, a place and time of great religious and political tension, between Catholics and Protestants. Engravings like this one played a crucial role in spreading religious ideas and shaping public opinion. The figures of the priest and Levite, who neglect the injured man, can be seen to represent religious institutions that have become too focused on ceremony and dogma, losing sight of the importance of compassion and charity. In contrast, the Samaritan, who was considered an outsider, embodies true Christian virtue through his selfless act. To understand the cultural and institutional context of this artwork, it would be useful to research the history of religious conflict in the Netherlands.