Kramskoi, Christ in the Desert and a Russian Dissident

Painting by Kramskoi: 'Christ in the Desert'  (1872)

We've just started running a course at the Coventry Jesus Centre: 'ESOL and the Bible'.

A Russian intellectual comes; he's great company and full of interesting insights and facts. 
In the middle of the session this week he said, "Can I show you something?" 

"Of course", I said. This is the best kind of lesson, when we share-and-share-alike, learning together.

My Russian student googled this picture, 'Christ in the Desert' by the Russian artist, Ivan Nikolaevich Kramskoi (1837-1887), and told me why he liked it: Jesus is resolved, determined; the temptation in the wilderness is over. His hands are clasped, tightly together; His course is set. His brow is furrowed; there is no turning back. 

There is suffering, pain in the picture. Dare I say, it has a definite Russian flavour: Jesus is not a china-faced, impassive, detached figure with little expressed emotions. The image conveyed is one of deep anguish and, as we know, anguish of a different kind has certainly been the experience of the Russian people. Jesus is heavy-laden, feeling the weight of His calling on His shoulders.

My Russian friend is a one-time dissident, having left behind a great deal, his distinguished livelihood, his family and friends. He has had to start again - with nothing. Perhaps that's why he finds such a strong identification with this picture.

 Note: Russian novelist, Ivan Goncharov (1812-1891), wrote of this picture: " there is nothing festive, heroic, victorious — the future fate of the world and of all livings is concealed in that miserable, small being, in pauper appearance, under the rags, in humble simplicity, inseparable with true majesty and force".