Landschap met het verhaal van de barmhartige Samaritaan: de aankomst bij de herberg 1564 - 1654

This landscape depicting the Good Samaritan was created by Jaspar de Isaac using etching. The composition unfolds in a continuous narrative, leading our eyes from the foreground to the distant city. The artist uses an intricate network of fine lines to create a rich tapestry of textures, from foliage to architectural details. De Isaac's formal arrangement invites a semiotic reading. The figures, placed deliberately within the landscape, function as signs. The Samaritan, the injured man, and the innkeeper form a chain of signifiers, each contributing to the overarching theme of compassion. The receding planes and the details of daily life provide a complex system of signs that speak to cultural values and social structures. The landscape itself serves as a structural element, framing the moral narrative and suggesting that human actions are deeply embedded within a broader social and environmental context. It is not merely a backdrop but an active participant in the story.