Reverant Framed Portrait 'JESUS of Nazareth'-Peter V. Bianchi, 1955 Messenger Corporation

Collectibles : Religious : Artwork

 

Reverant framed portrait of Jesus of Nazareth by Peter V. Bianchi, painted in 1955 for Messenger Corporation of Auburn Indiana. Peter Bianchi (1920-2000) painted several powerful portraits of Jesus in the early 1950s, much like his contemporary Warner Sallman. However, Bianchi's road to fame did not begin until Mary Leakey, wife of the noted anthropologist, Louis S.B. Leakey, found bits of fossilized skull in Africa's Olduvai Gorge. National Geographic convinced Bianchi in 1957 to work giving the fossils a face, and the famously crusty Louis peered irritably over his shoulder. Leakey wanted to attract the public to his diggings for funds and publicity. Louis Leakey was trying to make his mark so he had Bianchi paint him with modern eyes and a human stare, full of emotion. That ability to invoke emotion in his viewers can also be seen in this amazing portrait, Jesus gazing upward to his heavenly Father in silent prayer creating a true sense of communion with Spirit. The lithograph has been embossed on board, giving it the appearance of an oil. Framed in a mid-Century period gold painted frame, the litho is signed by Peter on the lower right and has the date and company identification on the left bottom edge. The print is in Excellent, undamaged condition. The frame has a couple of tiny nicks on the inner bottom moulding and the back paper is torn (paper can be replaced). It measures 14 3/4" x 11 3/4".

Item ID: jrl003950