Le Bon Samaritain

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Le Bon Samaritain

Artist Rodolphe Bresdin (French, 1822-1885)

Date1861, printed probably 1867

DimensionsOverall: 22 1/4 x 17 3/8 in. (56.5 x 44.2 cm)

MediumLithograph

ClassificationPrints

Credit LinePurchased with funds from the Libbey Endowment, Gift of Edward Drummond Libbey

Object number

1982.214

Not on View

Label TextExhibited in the Salon of 1861 as Abd-el-Kader Aiding a Christian, this lithograph was a major success. The year before it was made, an Algerian chieftain, Abd-el-Kader, brought thousands of Christians under his personal protection during fierce religious warfare in Syria, including the French Consul. R0dolph Bresdin was, like many others, inspired by this act of kindness. Later renamed The Good Samaritan, the print became Bresdin’s best-known work largely due to its size, intricate technique, and wealth of detail. A solitary eccentric, Bresdin was greatly influenced by the novels of James Fenimore Cooper (1789–1851), such as The Last of the Mohicans. Like the American author, Bresdin often focused on the theme of a noble man’s journey in an increasingly corrupt world. In this print, the mysterious forest setting, with exotic animals partially hidden among the leaves, represents unspoiled nature. The exceptional degree of detail, tonal range, and wide variety of textures in this print legitimized lithography as an artistic medium worthy of a great master.Published ReferencesVan Gelder, Dirk, Rodolph Bresdin, Vol. I and II, The Hague, 1976, pp. 66-72, no. 100 (illus.) See also article in documentary file: Becker, David, Rodolphe Bresdin's Le Bon Samartain, to be published, Nouvelles de l'Estampe, 1982.Exhibition HistoryToledo Museum of Art, The French Connection: French Prints from the Toledo Museum of Art, Feb 18 - May 15, 2005. Toledo Museum of Art, Strong Sensations: Impressionism and Symbolist Works on Paper, 1860-1900, April 23-June 20 2010 (no cat.).

Toledo Museum of Art, Prints and Authors from the Time of Manet, September 13, 2012-January 13, 2013. Toledo Museum of Art, Looks Good on Paper: Masterworks and Favorites, Oct. 10, 2014-Jan. 11, 2015.