De barmhartige Samaritaan helpt de gewonde reiziger 1601 - 1652

Nicolaes Lastman created this print, *The Good Samaritan Helping the Injured Traveler*, sometime in the early 17th century. Lastman was working during the Dutch Golden Age, a period marked by tremendous economic growth, cultural flourishing, and also the rise of a newly independent Protestant nation. Here, Lastman represents a parable told by Jesus in the Gospel of Luke. A traveler is beaten and left for dead. While others pass him by, a Samaritan—an ethnic and religious identity often looked down upon—stops to help. The Samaritan tends to the man’s wounds, paying for his lodging. What does it mean to depict a Samaritan as the compassionate one, challenging social hierarchies and advocating for radical empathy? Perhaps Lastman is subtly reflecting on the religious and political fractures of his own time. This isn’t just a biblical scene; it’s an invitation to reflect on who we consider our neighbors, and how we respond to suffering.