He Qi, The Good Samaritan. (2001).
Chinese artist and seminary professor He Qi paints biblical stories in a folk-art style from a Chinese context. There is no doubt who the important characters in the story are: they fill the canvas front and center. The many-colored landscape with its curving road gives the sense that the journey has been long. Only the injured man is shown looking straight out at the viewer as though he wants his story to be told. The “hero” of the parable is looking off to the side as if he doesn’t really like being in the spotlight. Does the donkey approve of his owner’s actions?
