The sketch A Sitting Jew is an outstanding example of the psychological portrait, a genre that was popular with Russian painters in the second half of the 19th century. This work was painted by active member of the Society for Traveling Art Exhibitions (Itinerants) Vasily Dmitrievich Polenov. He is well known as the author of the plein-air painting A Moscow Courtyard painted in 1878 and displayed at the State Tretyakov Gallery.
The sketch A Sitting Jew was painted in 1896 as an auxiliary material for the painting Christ amongst the Doctors. The painting can also be seen in the Tretyakov Gallery. The picture, as well as the sketch, belongs to the mature period of Vasily Polenov’s creative work.
The artist started painting Christ amongst the Doctors in 1895, when he was in Rome. According to his plan, it became the first picture of his thematic series that he had been creating for 13 years from 1896. By that moment the series dedicated to the acts of Christ had already included such well-known paintings as Christ and the Sinner (1888), On the Lake of Gennesaret (1888), Daydreams (1894).
During all those 13 years, especially before commencing his Christ amongst the Doctors, Vasily Polenov had been reading the Gospels, studying writings on history of religion. Such thorough preparation allowed him to develop an explanatory note to the painting that included comprehensive information on each character.
The painter speculated as to what the Old Testament sages could give to the 12-year-old Jesus. The subject of the picture is focused on the scene of exchange of wisdom between the boy, who would become the proponent of a new religious teaching, and Hillel, an advocate of the Old Testament Judaism. The action takes place in one of the temples of Jerusalem.
Vasily Polenov wanted the painting to be as authentic as possible, therefore he invited models from the local Jewish community. Their express ethnic type survived in Rome as of that time due to their certain isolation from the Christian world. Vasily Polenov paid special attention to the character of the pharisee sitting opposite Christ. In the moment captured in the painting, a change is taking place in the young man’s mind under the impression of Jesus’ words. He is thinking about life, human destiny and eternal spiritual values.
The sketch depicting the pharisee is exhibited in the Bashkortostan State M.V. Nesterov Art Museum under the title A Sitting Jew. Like the whole picture, the sketch is distinguished by obscure color range that contributes to the authenticity of the scene. The moderate coloration with prevailing black color does not distract the viewer and allows to concentrate on the significance of the moment.
The sketch A Sitting Jew was painted in 1896 as an auxiliary material for the painting Christ amongst the Doctors. The painting can also be seen in the Tretyakov Gallery. The picture, as well as the sketch, belongs to the mature period of Vasily Polenov’s creative work.
The artist started painting Christ amongst the Doctors in 1895, when he was in Rome. According to his plan, it became the first picture of his thematic series that he had been creating for 13 years from 1896. By that moment the series dedicated to the acts of Christ had already included such well-known paintings as Christ and the Sinner (1888), On the Lake of Gennesaret (1888), Daydreams (1894).
During all those 13 years, especially before commencing his Christ amongst the Doctors, Vasily Polenov had been reading the Gospels, studying writings on history of religion. Such thorough preparation allowed him to develop an explanatory note to the painting that included comprehensive information on each character.
The painter speculated as to what the Old Testament sages could give to the 12-year-old Jesus. The subject of the picture is focused on the scene of exchange of wisdom between the boy, who would become the proponent of a new religious teaching, and Hillel, an advocate of the Old Testament Judaism. The action takes place in one of the temples of Jerusalem.
Vasily Polenov wanted the painting to be as authentic as possible, therefore he invited models from the local Jewish community. Their express ethnic type survived in Rome as of that time due to their certain isolation from the Christian world. Vasily Polenov paid special attention to the character of the pharisee sitting opposite Christ. In the moment captured in the painting, a change is taking place in the young man’s mind under the impression of Jesus’ words. He is thinking about life, human destiny and eternal spiritual values.
The sketch depicting the pharisee is exhibited in the Bashkortostan State M.V. Nesterov Art Museum under the title A Sitting Jew. Like the whole picture, the sketch is distinguished by obscure color range that contributes to the authenticity of the scene. The moderate coloration with prevailing black color does not distract the viewer and allows to concentrate on the significance of the moment.
