The Good Samaritan - Jules Joseph Augustin Laurens

A detailed lithographic reproduction of the biblical parable of the Good Samaritan, originally composed by Eugène Delacroix and interpreted by Jules Laurens.

This lithograph by Jules Joseph Augustin Laurens reproduces the composition of the same name by Eugène Delacroix. Laurens, a French painter and lithographer, was known for his technical skill in translating the dramatic, painterly qualities of Romantic masters into the medium of print. The scene depicts the biblical parable of the Good Samaritan, focusing on the moment the traveller lifts the injured man onto his mount.

Laurens employs a dense network of cross-hatching and varied line weights to replicate the emotional intensity and chiaroscuro characteristic of Delacroix. The figures are rendered with a sense of physical strain, their forms emerging from a dark, atmospheric background that suggests a rugged, mountainous path. The horse stands as a steady presence, its form contrasted against the slumped, vulnerable posture of the wounded man.

In the background, a smaller figure is visible, perhaps representing the priest or the Levite who passed by without offering aid, adding a narrative layer to the composition. The print captures the movement and tension inherent in the original oil painting, demonstrating the high level of craftsmanship required in nineteenth-century reproductive printmaking. The work is a fine example of how lithography allowed the dissemination of major artistic compositions to a wider audience during the period. The paper shows signs of age, consistent with its production in the mid-nineteenth century, providing an authentic historical character to the piece.