Artwork

The Parable of the Sower and the Seed: The Seed Falling by the Way Side (after Gerard Van Groeningen, active Antwerp 1563-1573)

The Parable of the Sower and the Seed: The Seed Falling by the Way Side (after Gerard Van Groeningen, active Antwerp 1563-1573) is a print by the Renaissance artist Gerard van Groeningen. It dates from 1574 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

The work titled *The Parable of the Sower and the Seed: The Seed Falling by the Way Side* is an etching executed in 1574 after a design by the Antwerp printmaker Gerard van Groeningen, who was active between 1563 and 1573. The print is part of the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Subject & Meaning

The composition presents a narrative moment from the biblical parable of the sower. A seated figure appears despondent, while another figure leans over, offering a supportive hand on the shoulder. A third individual stands farther back, holding an object, suggesting a continuation of the story beyond the immediate scene.

Technique & Style

Executed with fine, incisive lines, the etching renders the rugged terrain, rock surfaces, and the folds of clothing through careful hatching and cross‑hatching. The contrast between sharply delineated foreground figures and the more atmospheric background of trees, hills, and a distant town creates depth typical of mid‑16th‑century Northern European prints.

History & Provenance

The image is derived from an earlier design by van Groeningen, a Flemish artist known for religious subjects. The print was produced shortly after his active period in Antwerp and later entered the holdings of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it remains on view.

Context

During the 1560s and 1570s, Antwerp was a hub for printmaking, and artists frequently reproduced biblical narratives for devotional use. Van Groeningen’s work reflects the period’s emphasis on clear storytelling, detailed naturalism, and the moral instruction associated with parabolic scenes.