Whether it is in the form of a painting or sculpture, religious art most commonly use themes, items, and motifs that are closely connected to a particular religion. When you take a look back in history, Jesus Christ has been and still is one of the staples of religious artwork, which is why you might be wondering – what are some of the most popular compositions done of him?
Well, if you are searching for an answer to this question, this article can help you quite a lot. The text below is going to feature a list of the 6, most popular paintings that feature Jesus Christ, as well as some interesting facts on all of them. Let’s take a closer look at the list:
1. “The Head of Christ”, Done By Warner Sallman (1892-1968)
The Head of Christ or as it is also referred to as ‘Sallman Head’ is a portrait, dating back to 1940. It is a completely mesmerizing piece of art, which is probably why it has been copied over half a billion times by the end of the twentieth century.
A lot of people have praised this interpretation of Jesus’ face for its hidden gems such as the host on his forehead and a chalice featured on his temple, which is why many people believe that it points to the Holy Eucharist. The artists behind this amazing picture believed that his first sketch was the outcome of an amazing vision that he received late one evening, which has prompted him to complete the work.
2. “The Last Supper”, Done By Leonardo Da Vinci (1452-1519)
This list would not be complete if it did not feature the most famous works of them all – The Last Supper done by Leonardo Da Vinci. In the picture, the artists tried to capture and show Christ dining for the very last time with his apostles right before he was betrayed by Judas and then arrested by the Romans.
It was commissioned as a fresco, and like a lot of Da Vinci’s other work, it does feature a lot of hidden things. If you want to see this magnificent and completely breathtaking, you’ll need to go to Milan, Italy. If you ever find yourself in Milan and want to see this fresco, you should know that you’ll need to book a tour in advance, especially since it might be difficult to get a spot once there.
3. “Crucifixion, Seen From The Cross”, Done By James Tissot 1836-1902)
This particular portrayal of Jesus’ crucifixion dated back to 1890 and it was done by a French painter called James Tissot. Unlike other paintings on this list, it is rather unusual, especially because of the theme of the work. It is basically a portrayal of the crucifixion site, the women gathered to witness it, as well as all the bystanders from the perspective of Jesus who was on the cross, instead of him being the center of the art.
You cannot see his figure at all, with the exception of his feet that can be seen when looking at the bottom of the work. It features a wide range of items, people, and details, which makes it one of the most interesting works of art to look at, especially if you are interested in learning more about the watercolor techniques Tissot had.
Now, if you want to see this piece, you’ll need to go to the Brooklyn Museum in NY. However, luckily for all of us, there are online platforms such as lavelart.com that offer printed canvases, which means that you won’t need to travel to see, as well as have the piece in your home.
4. “Christ of Saint John on The Cross”, Done By Salvador Dali (1904-1989)
You probably know Dali by his incredible artwork, as well as from the famous location in Barcelona – the Sagrada Familia. But, he is also the person who painted Jesus on the Cross. Again, we can see a somewhat weird perspective where he is balancing between earth and heaven.
Behind him on the cross, there is nothing else but darkness, which was done purposefully by Dali in order to emphasize that the cross is actually not important as well. He wanted to show people that the man hanging from the cross is more important. Dali was quite firm about the fact that the idea for the sketch just came to him, similarly as it did to Sallman in the aforementioned point.
5. “Resurrection of Christ”, Done By Raffaello Sanzio Da Urbino (1483-1520)
The paining of Jesus’ resurrection was painted by Raffaello Sanzio Da Urbino, also commonly known as simply – Raphael. On the contrary to all the other works mentioned on the list, this piece was done on wood by utilizing oil colors. One of the most interesting facts about this piece is that it is the very first work of Raphael that is entirely preserved.
The composition seen here is often described as incredibly complex ideal geometry which connects all the aspects, motifs, and elements of the particular scene. This allows the picture to have a somewhat animated rhythm that allows the transformation of the characters in the picture.
6. “The Yellow And The Green”, Done By Paul Gauguin (1848-1903)
The last painting on our list is actually two paintings that go perfectly well together. In 1889, the renowned artist, Paul Gauguin, created a well-known piece of art called “The Yellow Christ”. It is an otherworldly work, and it goes together with another painting that he finished that year, titled “The Green Christ”.
During the period while he was finishing the paintings, artists moved away from the idea of realism, and instead, they took on a more creative approach to their work and interpretations of specific things. This is one of the reasons why these two pictures are completely colorful, each representing the savior in a different way.
Conclusion
As you were able to read, there are a lot of popular paintings that feature Jesus Christ. No one really knew or knows how he truly looked like, which is why there are millions of paintings done, all featuring Jesus in a different way. This is why you might not want to lose any more of your time. Instead, you could browse the Internet for some interesting facts about the paintings in this article or you can use your time for searching for more paintings of Jesus Christ.
