Shadow of Death

Light of the World is the painting that most people associate with the pre-Raphaelite, Holman Hunt, but my favourite painting by him is Shadow of Death. We considered it during the message at Ampthill Baptist Church on Sunday morning. Apparently, Hunt travelled to the Holy Land to capture the light and atmosphere. Jesus is pictured as a young man. He pauses from sawing some wood and stretches himself. As he does so his shadow is captured on the back wall of the home, the middle-eastern carpenter's tool rack presaging the crossbeam of the cross. The weight of a plumb-bob hangs in the place of Jesus' heart. The skein of wool reminds us of the crown of thorns. This is dramatic imagery, and none more so than the figure of Jesus' mother, Mary, kneeling on the floor, her right hand holding open the lid of a chest which contains the gifts of the wise men. We cannot see her face but, as she looks to the back wall and sees the vision, we can imagine her catching her breath, and the sword piercing her soul afresh.......