In recent years, I’ve come across some striking portrayals of Jesus and amassed a small collection. My favorite visual rendition of Christ is the faceless one in the movie Ben-Hur (1959), but these paintings achieve a similar effect of reverent mystery, at least to my mind.
First, one I have shared before by Ivan Kramskoi. Artistically, this piece stands out for its lighting, muted colors, and clean composition. But it also shows Jesus looking very haggard, not the regal image we often see. It feels very real, and yet due to the composition and certain details (the red robe), there is no loss of dignity, just a frank expression of suffering.
The next three are by Ilya Repin (1844–1930). His realism is good, but I find his impressionism even better. The lack of clarity is unsettling, which couldn’t be more apt for describing the temptation in the wilderness or the betrayal in the garden.
Next is a monochrome portrait of Jesus by Gustave Doré, the famous engraver (his artwork for the Divine Comedy is profound). Jesus looks quite a bit older than 30 here, but I feel this piece really captures the ugliness of the mockers and the cruelty of the crown of thorns.
Another by Doré. This is highly stylized, but I like it for the lights and shadows and colors.
The next two are by Enrique Simonet, a Spanish painter from the late 19th century. These are much calmer paintings and evoke for me a lot of peace and beauty.
This is the oldest painting (1601, Caravaggio) although the latest in terms of timeline, showing Jesus after the Resurrection. I enjoy the composition of this piece immensely and the various details in color and texture. This portrayal of Jesus looks very youthful, even (by modern perceptions) feminine. At first I found this jarring, but over time I have come to appreciate it as another expression of Christ’s beauty, which no one painting can fully convey.
Last but not least, this is Jesus’ Triumphal Entry by Naray Aurel. I know nothing about this artist and don’t even remember how I stumbled upon it… I could not find it anywhere except a picture on eBay. I wish very much I could get a print of this, because I feel it conveys the bittersweetness of Palm Sunday that is missing in other paintings—the crowd believes Jesus is going to start a revolt against the Romans, but He knows He is riding towards a cruel and humiliating death.
Classics Considered 
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