…and Redemption
Most of Ryder's great literary subjects concern defiance and redemption. The greatest by far is Jonah, an Old Testament story that is an allegory for death and resurrection. When God ordered Jonah to go to Nineveh, he tried to escape his fate by setting sail for Tarshish.God responded by sending a great wind to overwhelm the ship, but Jonah's shipmates, sensing disaster, threw him overboard so they could save themselves. Ryder shows the dramatic moment when a great fish bears down on the hapless Jonah. For Ryder, salvation only begins when you recognize that your fate is in God's hands.
Pictured: Albert Pinkham Ryder, Jonah, about 1885–95; oil, 27 1/4 x 34 3/8 in., Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of John Gellatly.
Part 4
Discussion:
Jonah
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