Description of the picture:
Christ Almighty – Victor Mikhailovich Vasnetsov. One thousand eight hundred eighty five – 1896. Oil on canvas
A great master of religious painting, Vasnetsov in his painting “Christ Almighty” depicted Jesus Christ in the center of the composition. His expressive image is enclosed in a perfect circle, against the backdrop of a dark night sky, decorated with glowing stars. In his left хэнд, Christ has a large handwritten Bible, and with his right хэнд held high, he blesses all who look at him, that is, all of humanity.
At the corners of the sketch, completing the strict geometric construction of the canvas, there are symbolic images of the Tetraform – four sacred creatures associated with the four evangelists. Their images – an angel, an eagle, an ox and a lion – are executed in a golden-ocher color scheme, which gives the impression of a massive carved frame of the central round picture.
The picture is dominated by two primary colors – blue and brown. Shades of blue are associated with heavenly, sublime and spiritual, and brownish and golden colors are all earthly, real and human. Thus, the artist wants to convey the dual nature of Christ – the Son of God, born of a mortal woman.
Christ has a very expressive, memorable face on his canvas, especially his eyes, which literally penetrate the soul of the beholder. This is a wonderful artistic and spiritual image for the temple."