Suffering Christ

Victor Joseph Gatto, Suffering Christ, late 1930s, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr. and museum purchase made possible by Ralph Cross Johnson, 1986.65.114
Copied Victor Joseph Gatto, Suffering Christ, late 1930s, oil on canvas, 15 3⁄8 x 13 1⁄4 in. (39.0 x 33.5 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr. and museum purchase made possible by Ralph Cross Johnson, 1986.65.114

Artwork Details

Title
Suffering Christ
Artist
Date
late 1930s
Location
Dimensions
15 3⁄8 x 13 1⁄4 in. (39.0 x 33.5 cm.)
Credit Line
Gift of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr. and museum purchase made possible by Ralph Cross Johnson
Mediums
Mediums Description
oil on canvas
Classifications
Keywords
  • Religion — New Testament — Christ
  • State of being — emotion — pain
Object Number
1986.65.114
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1986.65.114

Artwork Description

Victor Joseph Gatto was not particularly religious, but he painted several fantasy images based on characters from the Bible. He used tiny brushes to build up thick layers of color, giving his subjects a glowing, otherworldly quality. He painted Adam and Eve at the moment of temptation, when Eve hands the apple to Adam; the flat, empty landscape beyond suggests the figures are standing on the edge of Eden. In Suffering Christ, Gatto depicted Jesus just before the crucifixion. The figure’s vivid red hair and pale skin emphasize the blood flowing from his forehead and chest, while his calm expression disguises his pain.