Jacopo Bassano, 'The Good Samaritan', about 1562-3
About the work
Overview
A man travelling from Jerusalem to Jericho was attacked by thieves who stole his clothes and left him for dead. A priest and a Levite saw the injured man but both passed him by. A Samaritan bound the man’s wounds, put him on his own mule, and carried him to an inn, where he left money for the man’s care. Christ told this story after being asked who should be loved as a neighbour. He said that the man who had shown mercy was the true neighbour and instructed his followers to go and do likewise.
Bassano has shown the moment when the Samaritan lifts the man on to his mule. The two dogs are licking up the wounded man’s blood. The priest and the Levite can be seen walking away in the distance.
Jacopo Bassano may have been the first Italian artist to represent the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10: 30–7). He did so several times, and the subject became popular with other Venetian artists, including Veronese.
Key facts
Details
- Full title
- The Good Samaritan
- Artist
- Jacopo Bassano
- Artist dates
- active about 1535; died 1592
- Date made
- about 1562-3
- Medium and support
- oil on canvas
- Dimensions
- 102.1 × 79.7 cm
- Acquisition credit
- Bought, 1856
- Inventory number
- NG277
- Location
- Room 9
- Collection
- Main Collection
- Previous owners
- Frame
- 17th-century Italian Frame
Provenance
Additional information
Text extracted from the ‘Provenance’ section of the catalogue entry in Nicholas Penny, ‘National Gallery Catalogues: The Sixteenth Century Italian Paintings’, vol. 2, ‘Venice 1540–1600’, London 2008; for further information, see the full catalogue entry.
Exhibition history
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2012In Pursuit of Art: Charles Eastlake’s Journey from Plymouth to the National GalleryPlymouth City Museum and Art Gallery22 September 2012 - 15 December 2012
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2016Painters' Paintings: From Freud to Van DyckThe National Gallery (London)23 June 2016 - 4 September 2016
Bibliography
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1824W. Buchanan, Memoirs of Painting: With a Chronological History of the Importation of Pictures by the Great Masters into England Since the French Revolution, London 1824
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1844A.M. Jameson, Companion to the Most Celebrated Private Galleries of Art in London: Containing Accurate Catalogues, Arranged Alphabetically, for Immediate Reference, Each Preceded by an Historical & Critical Introduction […], London 1844
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1854G.F. Waagen, Treasures of Art in Great Britain: Being and Account of the Chief Collections of Paintings, Drawings, Sculptures, Illuminated Mss. […], vol. 2, trans. E. Eastlake, London 1854
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1857G.F. Waagen, Treasures of Art in Great Britain: Being and Account of the Chief Collections of Paintings, Drawings, Sculptures, Illuminated Mss. […], translated from German by Elizabeth Eastlake, 3 vols, London 1857, vol. 3
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1922D. Hadeln, 'Early Works by Tintoretto, I', The Burlington Magazine, XLI/236, 1922, pp. 206-17
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1929W. Arslan, 'Contributo a Jacopo Bassano', Pinacotheca, I, 1929, pp. 178-96
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1931W. Arslan, I Bassano, Bologna 1931
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1939H.S. Francis, 'Lazarus and the Rich Man, by Jacopo Bassano', Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art, XXVI/10, 1939, pp. 155-8
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1945'Editorial: Sir Joshua Reynolds' Collection of Pictures, III', The Burlington Magazine, LXXXVII/512, 1945, pp. 263-73
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1959Gould, Cecil, National Gallery Catalogues: The Sixteenth Century Venetian School, London 1959
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1965T. Gottheiner, 'Rediscovery of Old Masters at Prague Castle', The Burlington Magazine, CVII/953, 1965, pp. 601-8
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1975C. Gould, Delaroche and Gautier: Gautier's Views on the 'Execution of Lady Jane Grey' and on other Compositions by Delaroche, London 1975
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1978M.E. Tittoni Monti and L. Rissotto, 'Interventi di restauro nella Pinacoteca Capitolina: La Madonna in gloria del Garofano e il Buon Samaritano di Jacopo Bassano', Bollettino dei musei comunali di Roma, XXV-XXVII, 1978, pp. 38-59
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1981D. Bomford and S. Staniforth, 'Wax-Resin Lining and Colour Change: An Evaluation', National Gallery Technical Bulletin, V, 1981, pp. 58-65
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1986W.R. Rearick, Iacobus a Ponte Bassanensis, Bassano 1986
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1987Gould, Cecil, National Gallery Catalogues: The Sixteenth Century Italian Schools, London 1987
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1987R. Pallucchini, 'Una "Parabola del buon Samaritano" di Jacopo Bassano', Arte veneta, 41, 1987, pp. 135-8
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1988R.B. Simon, Important Old Master Paintings: Discoveries… in nuova luce (exh. cat. Piero Corsini Gallery, 20 April - 20 May 1988), New York 1988
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1992B.L. Brown et al., Jacopo Bassano, c. 1570-1592 (exh. cat. Museo Civico, 5 September - 6 December 1992; Kimbell Art Museum, 23 January - 25 April 1993), Bassano del Grappa 1992
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1995A. Ballarin, Jacopo Bassano: Scritti 1964-1995, Cittadella 1995
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1996B. Aikema, Jacopo Bassano and His Public: Moralizing Pictures in an Age of Reform, ca. 1535-1600, Princeton 1996
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1996A. Ballarin, Jacopo Bassano: Tavole: Parte prima: 1531-1568, Cittadella 1996
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1998F. Mozzetti, 'Educare per immagini: Gesti di carità e attivismo caritatevole', Venezia cinquecento, VIII/16, 1998, pp. 53-80
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2001
C. Baker and T. Henry, The National Gallery: Complete Illustrated Catalogue, London 2001
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2001R. Fontana, 'L'instoria del samaritan di Jacopo Bassano, un phisico di Treviso e un evaso recidivo', Venezia cinquecento, XI/21, 2001, pp. 103-19
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2008Penny, Nicholas, National Gallery Catalogues: The Sixteenth Century Italian Paintings, 2, Venice, 1540-1600, London 2008
Frame
This exceptional seventeenth-century Italian frame originates from the Emilia region. Crafted from walnut wood and poplar wood, it features carved and gilded reverse moulding. The back edge is decorated with protruding semi-flowers and darts, followed by a double bead-and-reel motif. An ogee moulding is adorned with acanthus leaves and shield. The sight edge is embellished with olive-shaped pearls. Remarkably, the original water gilding remains intact.
The frame was acquired by the Gallery in 1997, supported by Mr and Mrs Alan Horan.
About this record
If you know more about this painting or have spotted an error, please contact us. Please note that exhibition histories are listed from 2009 onwards. Bibliographies may not be complete; more comprehensive information is available in the National Gallery Library.
Images
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