Healing of the Paralytic
Medium
Graphite and brush and brown wash, with pen and gold ink, on laid paper, laid down on off-white paper
Dimensions
26.4 × 19.5 cm (10 7/16 × 7 11/16 in.)
Classification
ink or chalk wash
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
7006
Art Historical Context
This delicate drawing by Johann Gottlieb Prestel captures the biblical miracle of the Healing of the Paralytic, a story from the Gospels in which Jesus forgives and restores a man lowered through a roof by his friends. The composition invites viewers to reflect on themes of faith, compassion, and transformation that have resonated across centuries of Christian art. Prestel’s technique combines graphite underdrawing with fluid brown washes and luminous touches of gold ink, creating a sense of depth and spiritual radiance on the small sheet. The layered media—applied on laid paper—allow subtle ...