Fine Art Poster
From £37
A giclée print on 200gsm matte fine art paper, using a twelve-colour process for accurate, fade-resistant colour. Supplied unframed, delivered flat or rolled.
The Good Samaritan - Ferdinand Hodler
Regular price
£37.00 GBP
Sale price
£37.00 GBP
Regular price
Archival giclée
Frames arrive ready to hang
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Made to order
Description
A poignant 1885 oil painting by Ferdinand Hodler, depicting the biblical act of mercy with a focus on human gesture and physical connection.
Ferdinand Hodler painted The Good Samaritan in 1885, a period during which he moved away from the academic realism of his early training towards a more personal, expressive style. This work depicts the biblical narrative of the Good Samaritan, focusing on the physical act of care. The Samaritan is shown kneeling, supporting the head and shoulders of the injured man, who lies prone on the ground. The composition is tight, drawing the viewer into the immediate physical connection between the two figures.
Hodler employs a palette of earthy tones, with muted browns, ochres, and soft greys dominating the scene. The lighting is directional, casting shadows that define the musculature and the weight of the figures. The Samaritan's posture is one of concentration and effort, while the injured man appears limp, his form rendered with a sense of vulnerability. The background is simplified, suggesting a desolate or open space, which prevents distraction from the central interaction.
This painting reflects Hodler's interest in human emotion and the physical manifestation of psychological states. Unlike his later, more rigid works that utilised his theory of parallelism, this piece retains a degree of naturalism. The brushwork is deliberate, capturing the texture of the clothing and the softness of the skin. The work demonstrates his ability to convey narrative through gesture and physical proximity. It remains a clear example of his early mastery of figure painting, showing his capacity to imbue a traditional subject with a sense of quiet, human gravity. The focus remains entirely on the act of mercy, presented without unnecessary ornamentation or theatricality.
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Because every print is made to order, we don't offer change-of-mind returns, refunds or exchanges. If your order arrives faulty, damaged or incorrect, we'll replace it free of charge — just contact us within 48 hours of delivery. See our refunds page for full details.
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Manufacturing
Each print is produced to order using 12-colour giclée printing on FSC-certified archival paper. Designed in Britain and printed at your nearest production hub to reduce waste and speed up delivery.
Care and materials
Specific Features
Every Solis piece is made to order with archival, gallery-quality materials built to last.
- Museum-grade giclée printing for rich, fade-resistant colour
- Archival matte fine-art paper, FSC-certified
- Multiple sizes and framing options available
- Frames in black, natural wood, dark wood or white
- Framed prints arrive ready to hang
Care & Cleaning
To keep your artwork looking its best:
- Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth
- Avoid prolonged direct sunlight
- Never use liquid cleaners on the print or canvas surface
- Keep in a dry, room-temperature space
- Handle prints with clean, dry hands
Materials & Sizing
Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
Complete The Look
The Good Samaritan - Ferdinand Hodler
Regular price
From £37.00 GBP
Sale price
From £37.00 GBP
Regular price
Fine Art Poster / Small Square (30x30 cm) / -
Artist Biography
Ferdinand Hodler
Hodler lost his father and two younger brothers to tuberculosis before he was eight. His mother remarried a decorative painter named Gottlieb Schupbach, who had five children of his own. The household grew to thirteen. Young Ferdinand learned to paint by helping his stepfather with sign-work and decorative commissions, which is practical training of the kind that art schools cannot replicate.
He studied under Barthelemy Menn in Geneva, absorbing influences from Courbet and Holbein that seem contradictory but make sense in his work: physical realism combined with formal symmetry. By the 1890s he had developed Parallelism, a system of compositional repetition where figures, gestures and landscape elements mirror each other across the canvas. He described it as an element of order inherent in nature, visible in reflections on water, in the symmetry of the human body, in the repetition of mountain forms.
The Swiss National Bank commissioned him in 1908 to design currency. Rather than portraits of statesmen, he chose a woodcutter for the 50-franc note and a reaper for the 100-franc note. Both entered circulation in 1911. His figures occupy Swiss banknotes the way his figures occupy his paintings: monumental, frontal, and slightly too symmetrical to be comfortable.
His son Hector founded the World Esperanto Association in 1908, which is a detail that belongs in the biography of any artist whose life's work concerned the search for universal order. Hodler was Switzerland's first modern painter, and the one who proved you could stay in Switzerland and still matter. He died in Geneva in 1918, having painted the view of Lake Geneva from his window every day during his final illness. The series of paintings recording the changing light over the lake is among his most moving work.
He studied under Barthelemy Menn in Geneva, absorbing influences from Courbet and Holbein that seem contradictory but make sense in his work: physical realism combined with formal symmetry. By the 1890s he had developed Parallelism, a system of compositional repetition where figures, gestures and landscape elements mirror each other across the canvas. He described it as an element of order inherent in nature, visible in reflections on water, in the symmetry of the human body, in the repetition of mountain forms.
The Swiss National Bank commissioned him in 1908 to design currency. Rather than portraits of statesmen, he chose a woodcutter for the 50-franc note and a reaper for the 100-franc note. Both entered circulation in 1911. His figures occupy Swiss banknotes the way his figures occupy his paintings: monumental, frontal, and slightly too symmetrical to be comfortable.
His son Hector founded the World Esperanto Association in 1908, which is a detail that belongs in the biography of any artist whose life's work concerned the search for universal order. Hodler was Switzerland's first modern painter, and the one who proved you could stay in Switzerland and still matter. He died in Geneva in 1918, having painted the view of Lake Geneva from his window every day during his final illness. The series of paintings recording the changing light over the lake is among his most moving work.
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Fine Art Framed
From £59
The same fine art print in a solid wood frame with UV-protective acrylic glaze and rigid backing. Five frame colours. Arrives ready to hang.
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