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Jeans, Jesus, and the Saint John's Bible: Simply Jesus

This exhibit presents and examines how Jesus Christ is artistically portrayed in the Saint John's Bible.

Jesus is with simple illustrations and visually clear details that indicate his divinity.

This may be the category with the least visual similarity, but here we see Jesus as an illustrated character. Perhaps it is the simplicity that engages us most. 

For quote information, see "A Note on Citation" on the home tab. 

Raising of Lazarus, Donald Jackson, Copyright 2002, The Saint John’s Bible, Saint John’s University, Collegeville, Minnesota USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Transfiguration, Donald Jackson with contributions from Aidan Hart, Copyright 2002, The Saint John’s Bible, Saint John’s University, Collegeville, Minnesota USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Commentary

We all know and love seeing Jesus depicted in the traditional Byzantine style with flat colors, long chestnut brown hair, and a perfect circle behind his head. This is in line with biblical tradition in that this unchanging stylistic choice represents an unchanging God. However, Christianity believes that God is a constant presence in a constantly shifting world. Art, in general, has become simpler and more abstract, and why wouldn't that make our depictions of Jesus more simple and abstract?

Who is to say that Jesus cannot be depicted as a black figure like we see in Raising of Lazarus or a blue figure like we see in Resurrection? We cannot fully see God in these images because we cannot fully know God in all His majesty. Then we see a simple and detailed Jesus facing us head-on in Vision of the Son of Man and Transfiguration. This front-facing individual makes direct eye contact with us, almost as if to ask for something. Christians believe that Jesus wants a personal relationship with us, and the only thing preventing that close bond is us humans. Being able to see Jesus as a simply illustrated man allows us to notice the details of his humanity, and we were reminded that he once walked among us. 

Resurrection, Donald Jackson, Copyright 2002, The Saint John’s Bible, Saint John’s University, Collegeville, Minnesota USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Vision of the Son of Man, Donald Jackson with contributions from Aidan Hart, Copyright 2005, The Saint John’s Bible, Saint John’s University, Collegeville, Minnesota USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved.