Christ at the Sea of Galilee explained

Christ at the Sea of Galilee
Artist:Jacopo Tintoretto
Year:c. 1570s
Medium:Oil on canvas
Height Metric:117.1
Width Metric:169.2
Museum:National Gallery of Art
City:Washington, D.C.

Christ at the Sea of Galilee is an oil painting by Jacopo Tintoretto, from the 1570s. The painting depicts Jesus Christ raises a hand toward the apostles, who appear in a boat amid hostile waves at sea. It is an example of mannerism,[1] a European art style that exaggerates proportion and favors compositional tension. This can be seen in the expressive postures of the figures and the muted, yet intense color of the sea and sky.

Tintoretto had a mostly Venetian audience and was known for painting scenes of Venice, but this painting departs from this path. Additionally, the scene was made to look overly dramatic rather than realistic. The paint is thin and Tintoretto uses extreme highlights, intensifying the darkness and light that seems to come from a compressed and directed light source.[2]

The painting is on display in the Samuel H. Kress Collection at the National Gallery of Art, in Washington, D.C.[3]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Christ at the Sea of Galilee. 2018-04-17. Aaron Art Prints.
  2. Book: Muhlberger, Richard. The Bible in Art: The New Testament. New York: Portland House. 1990. 82–83.
  3. Web site: National Gallery of Art. 3 July 1570. National Gallery of Art. 2018-04-17.