Christ of the Revelation

Painting

-

Calvin University Center Art Gallery

A traditional icon painting featuring a religious figure clothed in a long white robe, surrounded by a radiant gold halo. The figure holds a scroll in hand, symbolizing wisdom or knowledge, and standing within an elongated, almond-shaped mandorla, a symbol of divine glory. Golden rays emanate outward, enhancing the sense of divine light, with intricate Greek inscriptions flanking the figure.

A traditional icon painting featuring a religious figure clothed in a long white robe, surrounded by a radiant gold halo. The figure holds a scroll in hand, symbolizing wisdom or knowledge, and standing within an elongated, almond-shaped mandorla, a symbol of divine glory. Golden rays emanate outward, enhancing the sense of divine light, with intricate Greek inscriptions flanking the figure.

Name/Title

Christ of the Revelation

Entry/Object ID

2017.6.2

Type of Painting

Panel

Artwork Details

Medium

egg tempera

Category

Biblical People, Liturgical Symbol, On-Display at Calvin University
People, Symbol

Made/Created

Artist

Caroline Lees

Date made

2017

Dimensions

Dimension Description

image size

Height

18 in

Width

9-3/16 in

Exhibitions

Permanent Collection: May 29 - July 10, 2018 Center Art Gallery
Loan - Spaan Collection @ Dordt College
Loan - Spaan Collection @ 2nd CRC - Grand Haven, Michigan
Spaan and PC - February 15 - April 8, 2022
Loan - Spaan Collection @ LaGrave CRC
Spaan Collection - August 27 - November 29, 2024

General Notes

Note

Caroline Lees is a contemporary icon painter who lives and works in London, England. These two works were commissioned especially for the Donna Spaan Collection of Contemporary Art and combine both traditional and contemporary aspects of icon painting. Both icons are renderings of Christ in a similar size using simple lines, a frontal profile with elongated legs and the sculptural use of the mandorla surrounding the image of Christ. Christ as the Son of God who reigns with strong, eternal presence and power is depicted in the Christ of the Revelation icon. This Christ has revealed Himself as the full and complete embodiment of light – shining like the sun and set within the rich beauty of the New Jerusalem itself. In Christ’s hand, we see the scroll from Revelation 5:12 which tells us Jesus is the worthy Lamb of God who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” At His feet we see the Alpha and Omega symbols from Revelation 22:13 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”