Artwork
Christ Heals the Two Blind Men
Christ Heals the Two Blind Men 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
Christ Heals the Two Blind Men is a 1578 engraving by French artist Léonard Gaultier, depicting a moment of healing in a rural setting.
Subject & Meaning
The print illustrates a biblical scene where Christ, identifiable by his long hair and beard, restores sight to two blind men by touching their eyes. The men's postures, with hands over their faces and gaze upward, convey a moment of transformative healing.
Technique & Style
Gaultier executed the engraving entirely with a graver, characteristic of his precise, formal style, akin to contemporaries like the Wierix brothers. Fine lines create shading and depth, emphasizing the figures against a detailed background.
History & Provenance
Created around 1578, this work is part of Gaultier's extensive oeuvre, which spanned portraits, religious subjects, and more, with many designs originating from his own concepts.
Context
Produced during Gaultier's active period in Paris (until 1641), the piece reflects the religious and artistic themes prevalent among 16th-century French engravers.
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.
