The Good Samaritan – Original Painting

Description

This is one of 12 paintings for the Ascension Press program “What We Believe” found here.

The composition on this one in particular was very important; if you compare all the other paintings in the series, this one is the most zoomed out, and it’s completely by design: it’s just far out enough that we can look upon the scene and either enter it, or move on.

This is the image of the moral life, our duty to go out and serve the Body of Christ, to receive others as if they were Christ Himself.

We see the whole of the wounded man, laying as though dead, bruised and bloody. In the desolate desert in the Valley of the Shadow of Death, there is absolutely nothing. No flowing streams, no shade, no nothing for the Good Samaritan to use to alleviate the pain of the wounded man.

But he doesn’t let that stop him from awkwardly, strugglingly to hold up the wounded man. But in this, he draws the man into an embrace, with a gaze full of nothing but love.

But what about us, will we come to the wounded man’s aide, or move on by?

To flip the scene, and enter in AS the wounded man, we look at his bruised and battered body. Cut on the cheek from a blow, sliced knee and shin from trying to run away, cut arm and wrist, perhaps in defense, bruised ribs unable to be sheltered from blows by the thieves, and wounded heart, still bleeding.

Battered by evil and left for dead. Jesus comes to us and cares for our wounds.

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Oil paint is slightly transparent, letting light bounce through thinner layers of paint to the the lower layers. The brush strokes, everywhere they are even slightly raised, catch the light, and change throughout the day as the light changes.  The original painting will hold a depth that is not capturable with a print.  There’s no replacing what an original piece looks like, and when you love a piece, it’s always worth it to get the original if possible.

The frame that I’ve shown is a Masterworks Frames handmade, carved, 12 layer frame with hand applied gold leaf in either 12k (silver) or 22k (gold) genuine gold leaf (depending on what is shown in the photos). The frame is solid wood, and thick, I’ve never for an instant wondered if it would break, unlike store bought frames. The corners are filled in for a seamless museum quality finish.

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If you do want a print instead, click here! You’ll be directed to the canvas print options on Ascension Press’ website. For paper prints, click the “shop now” button on the right, under a photo of the Baptism as a paper print.