Yeshua – The Face of Love – Acrylic on Canvas

I’ve long recognized that we really have no idea what Jesus looked like. We know that he was Jewish and that people saw love when they looked into his face. During his years as a teacher, he spent long days in the sun, so his hair would have been sun-bleached.

In this painting, I’ve tried to capture these elements.

Since the time I was asked to do this painting, I’ve wrestled with whether any artist should attempt to paint Jesus. First, if I believe He is God, then the 10 commandments tell me I should not attempt to make an image of him—painted or carved. As a result, my approach to portraits of Jesus has changed. I prefer to focus on the characters who are responding to him and keep Jesus’ face in shadow or to portray him from the back.

This painting is available as an 9 x 12-inch giclee on canvas.