Apparently, the world is willing to pay quite a price for a trustworthy picture of Jesus Christ. On January 28, www.foxnews.com reported that an authentic Botticelli portrait of Jesus Christ recently sold for $45.4 million.
Apparently, a classic bidding war unfolded on January 21, 2022 at Sotheby’s 2022 Masters Week Auctions in New York as would-be buyers competed for the possession of Botticelli’s 1540 masterpiece known as "The Man of Sorrows". The auctioneer hammered the gavel at $39.3 million – pushing the final sale price of $45.4 million including Sotheby’s commission.
For the uninitiated, Sandro Botticelli (1445-1510) was a High Renaissance man from Florence who labored under the generous patronage of the famed Medici family and the ascetic preaching of Dominican friar Girolamo Savonarola.
His name Botticelli is actually a nickname that means "little barrel." His best known works include "The Birth of Venus" and "Primavera" both at the Uffizi Gallery. The earlier works both involve classic mythological scenes.
According to the article, "The Man of Sorrows" reminds art lovers that the same artist later fell under the influence of the preacher, Savonarola, forever impacting his artwork. Savonarola’s rise and four-year dictatorship in the city of Florence in the late 1400s cast a long shadow on the artists working there at the time, including not only Botticelli, but also younger artists like Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci.
The article also relates how the auction house went to great lengths to compare Botticelli’s suffering Christ to the rediscovered painting of Christ by Leonardo, "Salvator Mundi." That painting was by Christie’s Auction house to Saudi Arabia’s crown prince for $450.3 million back in 2017, and it later hung in a royal yacht.
Experts say that the two artists likely completed these two portraits of Christ within months of each other. While both versions depict Christ as regal, Leonardo’s has Christ holding up a hand in a sign of blessing, while Botticelli’s has Christ in pain, bound by ropes and with hands already scarred by crucifixion.
Still, each in its own way properly depicts Christ. As Sotheby’s expert Christopher Apostle reminds us, “The ‘Salvator Mundi’ shows God as an icon, but Botticelli shows God in his humanity. Botticelli’s version is less rigid, but it hits you in the face.”
Mr. Apostle, who studied the work ahead of the sale, added that Sotheby’s did discover something new about its Botticelli in preparation for the auction. It seems that infrared tests reveal the artist initially started painting Christ as an infant, being hugged by his mother. At some point, however, Botticelli was led to turn the canvas upside down and start all over, this time with the older Christ in mind.
As I read this article, I was reminded of the ultimate value that is rightfully assigned to pictures of Jesus Christ. Granted, no photograph of Him exists. Nor does any painted portrait of Him, in either His incarnated or Heavenly state. But that does not mean we do not have pictures of Him.
Four of the best known of these are the ones given to us by Matthew, mark, Luke, and John. If you want to see an authentic picture of Jesus, look no further than the New Testament Gospels that bear their names.
Paul, too, gives us picture after picture of Jesus Christ in his many New Testament writings, as do the authors of every New Testament book. Add to these the pictures of the Messiah as painted all throughout the Old Testament. A classic example is found in the 52nd and 53rd chapters of Isaiah.
Beyond this, pictures of Christ can often be seen in the lives of His followers. We see Him reflected in His innumerable disciples all throughout the last two thousand years. Hopefully, He can still be seen today, in the lives of any number of believers who attempt to emulate Him in their daily lives.
The Apostle Paul reminded the Christians in Corinth (II Corinthians 2:14) that God uses believers to spread the knowledge of Himself to the world. Thus, while I may bear little physical resemblance to my Lord and Savior, I trust and pray that I bear His likeness spiritually.
Famed hymn writer B.B. McKinney understood this principle well, as these words he was once moved to pen demonstrate:
While passing through this world of sin,
And others your life shall view,
Be clean and pure without, within,
Let others see Jesus in you.
Your life's a book before their eyes,
They're reading it through and through;
Say, does it point them to the skies,
Do others see Jesus in you?
What joy 'twill be at set of sun,
In mansions beyond the blue,
To find some souls that you have won;
Let others see Jesus in you.
Then live for Christ both day and night,
Be faithful, be brave, and true,
And lead the lost to life and light;
Let others see Jesus in you.
The chorus to this well-known hymn rings as true today as the day he was inspired to write it:
Let others see Jesus in you,
Let others see Jesus in you;
Keep telling the story, be faithful and true,
Let others see Jesus in you.
Can this be said of you? Do others see Christ in you? To find out, take a look in the mirror of God’s Word and see for yourself. The reflection you get will help you to answer this fundamental question.
Above all, remember that the world is desperate for an authentic picture of Jesus. They will pay dearly to see His features represented in a meaningful way, and for the tremendous satisfaction that such an experience alone provides.
Let others see Jesus in you!
STORY SOURCE:
https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/botticelli-portrait-jesus-christ-sells-45-4-million.
SCRIPTURE SOURCE:
https://biblehub.com/2_corinthians/2-14.htm.
HYMN SOURCE:
https://hymnary.org/text/while_passing_through_this_world_of_sin.
Apparently, a classic bidding war unfolded on January 21, 2022 at Sotheby’s 2022 Masters Week Auctions in New York as would-be buyers competed for the possession of Botticelli’s 1540 masterpiece known as "The Man of Sorrows". The auctioneer hammered the gavel at $39.3 million – pushing the final sale price of $45.4 million including Sotheby’s commission.
For the uninitiated, Sandro Botticelli (1445-1510) was a High Renaissance man from Florence who labored under the generous patronage of the famed Medici family and the ascetic preaching of Dominican friar Girolamo Savonarola.
His name Botticelli is actually a nickname that means "little barrel." His best known works include "The Birth of Venus" and "Primavera" both at the Uffizi Gallery. The earlier works both involve classic mythological scenes.
According to the article, "The Man of Sorrows" reminds art lovers that the same artist later fell under the influence of the preacher, Savonarola, forever impacting his artwork. Savonarola’s rise and four-year dictatorship in the city of Florence in the late 1400s cast a long shadow on the artists working there at the time, including not only Botticelli, but also younger artists like Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci.
The article also relates how the auction house went to great lengths to compare Botticelli’s suffering Christ to the rediscovered painting of Christ by Leonardo, "Salvator Mundi." That painting was by Christie’s Auction house to Saudi Arabia’s crown prince for $450.3 million back in 2017, and it later hung in a royal yacht.
Experts say that the two artists likely completed these two portraits of Christ within months of each other. While both versions depict Christ as regal, Leonardo’s has Christ holding up a hand in a sign of blessing, while Botticelli’s has Christ in pain, bound by ropes and with hands already scarred by crucifixion.
Still, each in its own way properly depicts Christ. As Sotheby’s expert Christopher Apostle reminds us, “The ‘Salvator Mundi’ shows God as an icon, but Botticelli shows God in his humanity. Botticelli’s version is less rigid, but it hits you in the face.”
Mr. Apostle, who studied the work ahead of the sale, added that Sotheby’s did discover something new about its Botticelli in preparation for the auction. It seems that infrared tests reveal the artist initially started painting Christ as an infant, being hugged by his mother. At some point, however, Botticelli was led to turn the canvas upside down and start all over, this time with the older Christ in mind.
As I read this article, I was reminded of the ultimate value that is rightfully assigned to pictures of Jesus Christ. Granted, no photograph of Him exists. Nor does any painted portrait of Him, in either His incarnated or Heavenly state. But that does not mean we do not have pictures of Him.
Four of the best known of these are the ones given to us by Matthew, mark, Luke, and John. If you want to see an authentic picture of Jesus, look no further than the New Testament Gospels that bear their names.
Paul, too, gives us picture after picture of Jesus Christ in his many New Testament writings, as do the authors of every New Testament book. Add to these the pictures of the Messiah as painted all throughout the Old Testament. A classic example is found in the 52nd and 53rd chapters of Isaiah.
Beyond this, pictures of Christ can often be seen in the lives of His followers. We see Him reflected in His innumerable disciples all throughout the last two thousand years. Hopefully, He can still be seen today, in the lives of any number of believers who attempt to emulate Him in their daily lives.
The Apostle Paul reminded the Christians in Corinth (II Corinthians 2:14) that God uses believers to spread the knowledge of Himself to the world. Thus, while I may bear little physical resemblance to my Lord and Savior, I trust and pray that I bear His likeness spiritually.
Famed hymn writer B.B. McKinney understood this principle well, as these words he was once moved to pen demonstrate:
While passing through this world of sin,
And others your life shall view,
Be clean and pure without, within,
Let others see Jesus in you.
Your life's a book before their eyes,
They're reading it through and through;
Say, does it point them to the skies,
Do others see Jesus in you?
What joy 'twill be at set of sun,
In mansions beyond the blue,
To find some souls that you have won;
Let others see Jesus in you.
Then live for Christ both day and night,
Be faithful, be brave, and true,
And lead the lost to life and light;
Let others see Jesus in you.
The chorus to this well-known hymn rings as true today as the day he was inspired to write it:
Let others see Jesus in you,
Let others see Jesus in you;
Keep telling the story, be faithful and true,
Let others see Jesus in you.
Can this be said of you? Do others see Christ in you? To find out, take a look in the mirror of God’s Word and see for yourself. The reflection you get will help you to answer this fundamental question.
Above all, remember that the world is desperate for an authentic picture of Jesus. They will pay dearly to see His features represented in a meaningful way, and for the tremendous satisfaction that such an experience alone provides.
Let others see Jesus in you!
STORY SOURCE:
https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/botticelli-portrait-jesus-christ-sells-45-4-million.
SCRIPTURE SOURCE:
https://biblehub.com/2_corinthians/2-14.htm.
HYMN SOURCE:
https://hymnary.org/text/while_passing_through_this_world_of_sin.