Der barmherzige Samariter pflegt den Verletzten (nach)

Aldegrever employs a pronounced chiaroscuro, contrasting deep shadows with illuminated forms to heighten the drama of the scene. The composition balances a dense foreground with a forested backdrop and a distant village, using light to guide the viewer’s eye toward the act of care while emphasizing the starkness of the victim’s condition.

Created in 1531, the painting entered the Alte Pinakothek’s holdings during the museum’s early acquisitions of German Renaissance works. Its provenance prior to the museum is not extensively documented, but the piece has been recognized as a representative example of Aldegrever’s religious output.

Aldegrever, a pupil of Albrecht Dürer, worked within the cultural milieu of the Reformation, where biblical subjects were frequently revisited for didactic purposes. The depiction of the Good Samaritan aligns with contemporary Protestant emphasis on personal piety and charitable action.

While not as widely reproduced as other Northern Renaissance scenes, the painting remains a valuable illustration of Aldegrever’s skill in narrative composition and his use of light to convey moral themes, contributing to scholarly understanding of early 16th‑century German religious art.