Artwork
Christ Heals the Epileptic Boy
Christ Heals the Epileptic Boy is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Léonard Gaultier. It dates from 1578 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Leonard Gaultier’s engraving titled *Christ Heals the Epileptic Boy* dates from the late 1570s. Executed wholly with a graver, the print presents a biblical healing episode in which Jesus attends a young boy seized by an epileptic fit. The composition is framed by a modest cityscape and a cloudy sky, emphasizing the solemnity of the moment.
Subject & Meaning
The image captures the moment Christ kneels beside the convulsing child, laying his hand on the boy’s head while onlookers, including the parents, observe with concern. The narrative underscores themes of compassion and divine intervention, illustrating the miracle of restoration that is central to the Gospel account of Jesus’ healing powers.
Technique & Style
Gaultier employs a precise, line‑based approach characteristic of late‑Renaissance French engraving. The work shows a controlled, somewhat rigid handling of the burin, reflecting the influence of the Wierix brothers and Crispyn van de Passe. Fine hatching renders texture in clothing and architecture, while the overall composition remains clear and orderly.
History & Provenance
Born around 1561 in Mainz, Gaultier settled in Paris, where he produced a range of religious and portrait prints until his death in 1641. This particular engraving belongs to his own design and execution, forming part of a larger corpus of devotional images circulated among collectors and ecclesiastical patrons in the early modern period.
Context
The print reflects the Counter‑Reformation’s emphasis on visual depictions of Christ’s miracles as tools for piety and instruction. By rendering a familiar Gospel scene in a reproducible medium, Gaultier contributed to the spread of religious imagery beyond painted altarpieces, making the narrative accessible to a broader audience.
Artist & collection
Artist
Léonard Gaultier, or, as he sometimes signed himself, Galter, a French engraver, was born at Mainz about 1561, and died in Paris in 1641.
