Day 63 - He humbled himself

Head of Christ by Rembrandt, 1648, Gemäldegalerie, Berlin.

Today is the second anniversary of King Charles’s Coronation and whilst many may commemorate this day of the crowning of our ’earthly’ King back in 2023, I wish to share some reflections on the above painting of our Heavenly King: Head of Christ by Rembrandt (1640s Dutch Golden Age). This painting is one of several Rembrandt painted of the Head of Christ displayed at galleries worldwide including Le Louvre and The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. This particular painting is housed in the Gemäldegalerie, Berlin.

Up to this point in history, portraits of Jesus had strong religious qualities, often depicted as majestic and otherworldly. Many artists were afraid that portraying Christ in a way that was too human would make it difficult to receive church commissions.

Hardly revolutionary, but Rembrandt’s focus on Jesus’ humanity was a huge game changer in artwork portraying Jesus. Rembrandt’s Jesus is painted without a halo or other religious imagery. Jesus does not look directly at the viewer, instead, He stares off to one side pensively. The background features depict no religious context. There are no symbols or imagery suggesting this comes from a biblical narrative, although the detail of the painting is to be seen in the face of Jesus that is full of both humanity and humility but also mystery. What is Jesus thinking about or looking at?

Rembrandt was influenced by Reuben’s portrayal of Christ but moved away from the baroque style of portraying Christ as triumphant in death. Instead, he shows the humanity of Christ, engulfed in melancholy as he faces his death on the cross. Other versions of the painting suggest Jesus is praying in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Rembrandt was interested in depicting Jesus’ relations with those who listened to him or sought his downfall, and in doing so, rose to the challenge of painting Jesus’ teaching and its effects. He was keen to show a truthful portrayal of Christ. His knowledge of the Bible and the foundations of Christianity coupled with living alongside a Jewish community in Amsterdam all influenced his painting style. Rembrandt painted directly from life and it is possible he based his ‘Head of Christ’ and indeed the variations of the painting on a Jewish model. Rembrandt’s desire for historical accuracy in portraying Jesus as a Jew and not in the predictable majestic way many classical artists had portrayed Christ.

Rembrandt’s ‘Head of Christ’ paintings are perhaps not as well known as some of his other religious paintings such as Calming of the Storm and The return of the Prodigal son. However, it is incorporated in a collection of 15 famous and influential paintings of Jesus which includes Christ of Saint John of the Cross - Salvatore Dali (1951) and The Last Supper - Leonardo Da Vinci (c.1495 – 98).

This collection was put together by The Jesus Film Project, a ministry organisation and, as the name suggests, using film and media to share the gospel with others. The paintings selected portray how different artists over time have portrayed and interpreted Jesus within their own cultures and settings.

How might we as individuals draw the face of Jesus today? We are all different and our interpretation may reflect our differences and our own relationship with Jesus and faith experience.

What resonance does this painting have for you? What is on Jesus’s mind?

Whatever you may or may not see in this painting, we know that Jesus came as God in human form with human emotions and served others rather than be served – the King of Kings.

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

Who, being in very nature God,

did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;

rather, he made himself nothing

by taking the very nature of a servant,

being made in human likeness.

And being found in appearance as a man,

he humbled himself

by becoming obedient to death —

even death on a cross!

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place

and gave him the name that is above every name,

that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:5 – 11 NIV

Cathryn Clarke