Who painted If I only Touch His Garments, I shall be Made Well?

If I only Touch His Garments, I shall be Made Well was painted by Léonard Gaultier in 1578.

Where can I see If I only Touch His Garments, I shall be Made Well?

If I only Touch His Garments, I shall be Made Well is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is If I only Touch His Garments, I shall be Made Well?

If I only Touch His Garments, I shall be Made Well is associated with Renaissance.

Artwork

If I only Touch His Garments, I shall be Made Well

Léonard Gaultier , 1578

If I only Touch His Garments, I shall be Made Well 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 1578 engraving, titled *If I only Touch His Garments, I shall be Made Well*, presents a densely populated biblical episode of healing. Executed entirely with a graver, the print shows a central figure whose gesture of touching or pointing draws a crowd of kneeling and standing figures, set against a townscape with water, trees and a bridge.

Subject & Meaning

The scene illustrates the New Testament account in which faith in a healer’s touch brings restoration. The central figure, likely representing Christ, extends a hand toward the afflicted, while the surrounding onlookers display a range of responses—from supplication to anticipation—emphasizing the communal dimension of belief and cure.

Technique & Style

Gaultier employs fine, closely spaced lines and cross‑hatching to model clothing, facial features and architectural details, creating a sense of depth within the limited tonal range of engraving. The overall handling is precise yet formal, reflecting the influence of Northern engravers such as the Wierix brothers and Crispyn van de Passe.

History & Provenance

Born in Mainz around 1561, Gaultier worked in Paris for most of his career, producing portraits and a variety of narrative prints, many of his own design. The engraving forms part of his extensive output before his death in 1641; its early ownership records are sparse, but it appears in several 17th‑century collections of religious prints.

Context

The work belongs to a period when printed images of biblical miracles circulated widely, serving devotional and didactic purposes. Engravings like Gaultier’s provided an affordable means for believers to contemplate scriptural events, complementing the rise of printed pamphlets and illustrated Bibles in late‑Renaissance France.