Who painted The Appearance of Christ before the People?

Alexander Ivanov painted The Appearance of Christ before the People in 1837.

What Bible passage does The Appearance of Christ before the People depict?

The Appearance of Christ before the People depicts the biblical scene from Matthew 3.

Where is The Appearance of Christ before the People located?

The Appearance of Christ before the People is housed at Tretyakov Gallery, Lavrushinsky pereulok 10, Moscow.

The Appearance of Christ before the People by Alexander Ivanov

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The Appearance of Christ Before the People (Russian: Явление Христа народу Yavleniye Khrista narodu) or The Apparition of the Messiah is an oil painting on canvas, measuring 540 cm × 750 cm, by the Russian painter Alexander Andreyevich Ivanov (1806–1858).

The painting has been called his magnum opus and took twenty years to complete (1837–1857). The narrative of the painting is based on the first chapter of the Gospel according to John.

The painting alludes to several stories in the Bible. In the center of the painting John the Baptist, wearing an animal skin, is standing on the banks of the River Jordan. He points towards the figure of Jesus in the distance, approaching the scene. To the left stands the young John the Apostle, behind him St. Peter, and further on Andrew the Apostle and Nathanael. In the foreground are people who watch the scene unfold but are undecided what to do, both young and old men. In the center there is a wealthy man who was too rich to follow Christ and a slave, about whom Ivanov remarked that he meant to depict people who experienced, after a life in despair and suffering, "joy for the first time". To the right there is a figure, that stands nearest to Jesus, who was depicted as the painter's good friend, the writer Gogol. Before the wanderer with a staff seated not far from John, is a figure seated with a red headgear. The figure is a self-portrait; the artist has captured his own features on the canvas.

Details

Artist: Alexander Ivanov
Created: 1837 - 1857
Medium: oil on canvas
Dimension: 90cm × 60cm
Passage: Matthew 3
Housed at: Tretyakov Gallery Lavrushinsky pereulok 10, Moscow

Found in: Matthew, Matthew 3, 19th century, Jesus, John the Baptist

Matthew 3

1 In those days, John the Baptizer came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying,

2 “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!”

3 For this is he who was spoken of by Isaiah the prophet, saying, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, make ready the way of the Lord. Make his paths straight.”

4 Now John himself wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.

5 Then people from Jerusalem, all of Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him.

6 They were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.

7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for his baptism, he said to them, “You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

8 Therefore produce fruit worthy of repentance!

9 Don’t think to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father,’ for I tell you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.

10 “Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit is cut down, and cast into the fire.

11 I indeed baptize you in water for repentance, but he who comes after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit.

12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor. He will gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire.”

13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him.

14 But John would have hindered him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and you come to me?”

15 But Jesus, answering, said to him, “Allow it now, for this is the fitting way for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed him.

16 Jesus, when he was baptized, went up directly from the water: and behold, the heavens were opened to him. He saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming on him.

17 Behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

Matthew 3 · World English Bible

The artist

Alexander Ivanov

1806 - 1858

Saint Petersburg, Russia

Alexander Andreyevich Ivanov was a Russian painter who adhered to the waning tradition of Neoclassicism but found little sympathy with his contemporaries. He was born and died in St. Petersburg.

Resources

The Religious-artistic Image of a Perfect Human Integrity: A.A. Ivanov's Picture "The Appearance of Christ Before People"

The problem of the religious-artistic expression of the ideal of a perfect human being and his general meaning of life is studied in this article. The concept of human integrity is discussed. The foll...