Portraits of Jesus

Portraits of Jesus Harmonized versions of the stories of Jesus accompanied by famous works of art.

Over the past while, I’ve been sharing portraits of Jesus from different periods and traditions. Nearly every image post...
02/27/2026

Over the past while, I’ve been sharing portraits of Jesus from different periods and traditions. Nearly every image posted here is one that I personally photographed in galleries and museums — with the exception of the Gustave Doré pieces.

When I first began this project, my hope was to travel and document sacred art in person — especially at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. COVID disrupted those plans and sidetracked the project for a long time, but I would very much like to return to it and begin posting consistently again.

The MET houses extraordinary depictions of Christ — Byzantine icons, Renaissance paintings, medieval panels — works that deserve to be seen and reflected on carefully.

My goal is to revisit the museum, photograph (where permitted), and document these works so I can share them here with context and commentary for those who may never see them in person.

If you would like to support this project and help offset travel and access costs, you can do so here:

paypal.me/medicusecclesiae

There is absolutely no pressure — I’m grateful you are here and engaging with these images. But if you feel this work is worthwhile, your support helps make future visits and documentation possible.

Thank you for being part of this.

"Head of Christ"

Fernando Yáñez de la Almedina
Spanish, Almedina, ca. 1475–1536 Valencia
ca. 1506
Oil on poplar

"And when the time for Elizabeth to give birth had come, she bore a son. And her neighbours and relatives heard that the...
02/24/2026

"And when the time for Elizabeth to give birth had come, she bore a son. And her neighbours and relatives heard that the Lord showed her His great mercy. And they were rejoicing with her.

On the eighth day, they came to circumcise the child. And they were going to call him “Zacharias”—the name of his father. But answering, the child’s mother said, “No, but he shall be called John.” But they said to her, “None of your rela-tives or Zacharias’ is called by that name.” And they asked his father what he wished him to be called. And asking for a wooden tablet, Zacharias wrote, “John is his name.” And immediately his mouth was opened, and his tongue loosened. And he began to bless God, “Blessed is he who is good and does good.” “Blessed are you, O Lord, ever gracious and ready to forgive.” “Blessed are you, O Lord, whose name is All-Good, and to whom it is proper to give thanks.”

And everyone who heard these things that happened were saying, “What, then, shall this child be? For the hand of the Lord is with him!”"

"The Birth, Naming, and Circumcision of Saint John the Baptist"

Giovanni Baronzio
Italian, active c. 1320–1350
tempera on panel, c. 1335

Paid Amazon Affiliate Link: [https://amzn.to/4aKioWW] Easter Empty Tomb Set

"Pilate, then, delivered Jesus over to be scourged. And the soldiers, leading him away, inside the palace, which again i...
02/23/2026

"Pilate, then, delivered Jesus over to be scourged. And the soldiers, leading him away, inside the palace, which again is the praetorium, after stripping him of his garment, scourged him. And after this, they summoned the cohort and put on him a purple mantle. And weaving a crown of thorns, they put [it] upon his head and [put] a reed in his right hand. And they began to greet him, “Shalom, Meleḵ ha-Yehudim! ([i.e.,] Greetings, king of the Jews!)” And they were striking his head with a staff and spitting at him, and, after kneeling, they were prostrating them-selves before him."

"The Flagellation of Christ, 1817"

Léon Pallière
French, Bordeaux 1787–1820 Bordeaux
Oil on canvas.

L"It happened on one of those days that Jesus wanted to go to the other side of lake Gennesaret. So, he ordered his disc...
02/21/2026

L"It happened on one of those days that Jesus wanted to go to the other side of lake Gennesaret. So, he ordered his disciples to take him. When it was evening, then, he went up into the boat and his disciples [with him] and they set sail. And other boats were with them.

And a fierce gust of wind came down upon the lake, and the waves were break-ing over into the boat, so that the boat was being filled and beginning to be swamped. But Jesus was in the stern lying upon a pillow. And his disciples thought that he was asleep.

Approaching, then, they woke him, saying, “Teacher! Is it no concern to you that we are perishing?” Then rising up, he rebuked the wind and said to the lake, “Be quiet! Be silenced! And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said to his disciples, “Why are you cowardly? Do you not yet have faith?” And they were frightened and were saying to one another, “Who is this that even the wind and the sea obey him?”"

"Christ Asleep during the Tempest"

Eugène Delacroix
French, Charenton-Saint-Maurice 1798–1863
Paris
Oil on Canvas

Paid Amazon Affiliate Link: [https://amzn.to/3MJDU6d] Love Nativity and Easter Scenes!

"When Jesus had returned to Galilee, some of the disciples of John the Baptist were looking for him. And finding him, th...
02/20/2026

"When Jesus had returned to Galilee, some of the disciples of John the Baptist were looking for him. And finding him, they reported to him about John.

They were saying that, on [the occasion of] Herod the tetrarch’s birthday celebrations, Herod prepared a feast for his courtiers and military tribunes and the foremost men of the Galilee; and that when Salome, the daughter of Herodias danced for them all, he promised to give to her whatever she asked for. Having been instructed, then, by her mother, she said to Herod, “Give to me, here, upon a platter, the head of John.” So, he ordered [it] to be given to her. And sending [someone], Herod had John beheaded, and the head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl before them all. And Salome gave it to her mother."

"The Feast of Herod and the Beheading of Saint John the Baptist"

Benozzo Gozzoli
Florentine c. 1421–1597
tempera (?) on panel, 1461–1462

Paid Amazon Affiliate Link: [https://amzn.to/4qMOXtq] Easter Decoration Set

"While this was happening, Simon Peter was below in the courtyard, listening. And the slaves and servants of the high pr...
02/20/2026

"While this was happening, Simon Peter was below in the courtyard, listening. And the slaves and servants of the high priest were also standing there. And they continued to warm themselves because it was cold. And Simon Peter was also stand-ing there with them in the middle, warming himself.

And one of high priest’s slave-girls, a gatekeeper, seeing Simon Peter warming himself, said to him, “Are you not also [one] of this man’s disciples?” But he denied [it], saying, “Woman, I do not know what you are talking [about].” And he went away outside into the gateway.

After a short time, another [slave-girl] saw him and said to the bystanders, “This man is from them.” But again, he denied [it], saying, “Woman, I am not!”

And again, after a short time, the ones who stood by said to Peter, “Truly you are from them, for your speech makes [it] clear that you are Galilean.”

Then, he began to curse and to swear an oath that he did not know the man. And then, immediately, a c**k crowed.

Then, Simon Peter remembered Jesus’ word, “[T]his night—before c**kcrow—you shall deny me three times.” And going outside of the courtyard, he wept."

"The Denial of Saint Peter"

Caravaggio (Michelangelo Merisi)
Italian, Milan or Caravaggio 1571–1610 Porto Ercole
1610
Oil on canvas.

Paid Amazon Affiliate Link: [https://amzn.to/4rnD2mU] Easter Decoration Set

"After these things, when it was evening, two of them—Cleopas and another—came to the eleven and all the rest in the upp...
02/20/2026

"After these things, when it was evening, two of them—Cleopas and another—came to the eleven and all the rest in the upper room, where they were gathered.

And when they entered, they said, “We have seen the Lord! He has been raised!” And answering, the others said, “Yes! And he has also appeared to Simon!” Then, Cleopas and the other began to tell them what had happened.

He said that they were going to Emmaus and were conversing with one another. And it happened while they were conversing that a stranger, drawing near, came along with them. And the stranger asked them what they were discussing. And Cleopas told them that he said, “Things about Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet and skilled in deed and word in the sight of God and the people.” Then, he explained to the stranger how the chief priests and the officials handed him over to be crucified.

Moreover, Cleopas told them that he had said, “We were hoping that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel”; and that “even with all this, this [is] the third day since these things happened. Some women among us went to the tomb early in the morning but did not find his body. They also came saying that they saw a vi-sion of angels who said that he was alive. And some of us also went to the tomb and found [it] so, just as even the women had said. But they did not see him.”

Then, Cleopas told the disciples how the stranger said to them that they were “foolish” and “slow in heart to believe,” and that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer.

Then, Cleopas said to them that beginning from Moses and from the prophets, the stranger explained to them everything about the Christ in the scriptures.

Then, Cleopas continued, “We approached Emmaus and urged the stranger strongly, saying, ‘Stay with us. It is evening, and the day is over.” And he entered with us.

And it happened while we were reclining at dinner that he took the bread and gave the blessing and broke [it] and gave [it] to us. And we recognized him—Yeshua! Then, immediately, he became invisible. And we were saying to one an-other, ‘Weren’t our hearts burning within us while he was speaking to us on the road?’

And getting up, we returned to Jerusalem to tell you.”"

"The Supper at Emmaus"

Diego Velázquez (Spanish, 1599–1660)
ca. 1622–1623

On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened bread, on the fourteenth of Nisan, when they sacrificially slaughter the Pas...
02/12/2026

On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened bread, on the fourteenth of Nisan, when they sacrificially slaughter the Passover lamb, Jesus’ disciples said to him, “Where shall we prepare to eat the Passover?” And he sent two of them and said, “Go into the city, and a man who is carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him, and, wherever he enters, tell the master of the house that the teacher says, ‘Where is the guest-room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ And he will show you a large room upstairs furnished [and] ready. Prepare [it] there for us.”

And so, the disciples went out and came into the city. And they found [it hap-pened] just as he [had] said to them. And they prepared the Passover meal there.

Vincenzo Civerchio
Lombard, c. 1460/1470 - probably 1544
Samuel H. Kress Collection 1961.9.67

"Christ Instructing Peter and John to Prepare for the Passover"
tempera on panel, 1504

On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened bread, on the fourteenth of Nisan, when they sacrificially slaughter the Pas...
02/12/2026

On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened bread, on the fourteenth of Nisan, when they sacrificially slaughter the Passover lamb, Jesus’ disciples said to him, “Where shall we prepare to eat the Passover?” And he sent two of them and said, “Go into the city, and a man who is carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him, and, wherever he enters, tell the master of the house that the teacher says, ‘Where is the guest-room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ And he will show you a large room upstairs furnished [and] ready. Prepare [it] there for us.”

And so, the disciples went out and came into the city. And they found [it hap-pened] just as he [had] said to them. And they prepared the Passover meal there.

Vincenzo Civerchio
Lombard, c. 1460/1470 – probably 1544
Samuel H. Kress Collection 1961.9.67

"Christ Instructing Peter and John to Prepare for the Passover"
tempera on panel, 1504

And Jesus and the eleven disciples came to a place called G*t Shemanē (Gethsemane) —the garden that’s on the other side...
02/11/2026

And Jesus and the eleven disciples came to a place called G*t Shemanē (Gethsemane) —the garden that’s on the other side of the Kidron Ravine. And his other disciples were already there. And he said to them, “Sit down here while I pray.”

And taking along Simon Peter and James and John with himself, he began to be overwhelmed and distressed. And he said to them, “Within me, my soul is dissolved away. Remain here and keep watch.”

And after going a short distance, about a stone’s throw [away], he fell upon his face and was praying that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And Simon Peter and James and John heard him praying, “Abba, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. But, not what I will, rather what you [will].”

And he continued to pray.

And later, after rising up from prayer [and] coming to them, he found them sleeping. And he said to Simon Peter, “Simon! Are you sleeping? Can you not remain watchful [even] for one hour? Keep watch and pray, so that you are not brought into temptation. The spirit [is] willing, but the flesh [is] weak.”

And again, after going away, he continued to pray. And when he had come again, he found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. But they did not know [with] what to answer him. And again, going away, he continued to pray. And a third time he came to them and said, “Sleep henceforth and rest. It suffices. The hour [has] come. Behold, the Son of man is handed over into the hands of sinners. Get up. Let us go. He who hands me over has drawn near.”

Raphael (Raffaele Sanzio or Santi)
Italian, Urbina 1483–1520 Rome

"The Agony in the Garden"
ca. 1504
Oil on wood

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