For Christ

By: Hakim Mosegi

In his depiction of Christ, the German painter Albrecht Durer paints Christ raising his right hand as a symbol of divinity and holiness. In his left hand, he holds an orb of some sort. The piece is dated back to be around 1505, and upon further inspection, seems to be somewhat unnatural. Christ is shown to have unusual, untouched details and a lack of color to his hands and face. The facial structure seems to blend into his skin tone, as if Durer had forgotten to put detail into his eyes, nose, mouth and beard. The symbolism embedded within the painting adds layers of meaning to its interpretation. Durer's portrayal of Christ as the Savior of the World reflects not only his religious beliefs, but also the broader cultural and intellectual currents of the Renaissance period.

Inspired by his work, I’ve created an image depicting Jesus using Durer's view of Christ as reference. My piece shows Jesus with a crown of thorns and holding the planet in his hand, rather than an unidentified orb. Instead of a blessing, I have Jesus reaching out with his free hand to convey a story of compassion, sacrifice and love. The crown of thorns atop Jesus' head served as my foundation for the drawing – it’s the symbol of his suffering and the ultimate sacrifice he made for humanity. I’ve made the thorns a bit darker and more detailed than the rest of the drawing, giving the audience another focus, outside of the globe. I wanted the thorns to be in intricate detail, emphasizing their sharpness and the pain they inflict, while also highlighting their significance in the story of Jesus' crucifixion. 

In his outstretched hand, Jesus is reaching out to humanity with a gesture of kinship and love, symbolizing his desire to offer comfort, guidance and salvation to all who seek it. Meanwhile, Jesus' firm grasp on the globe symbolizes his role as the Savior – a chosen one who is entrusted to care for humanity.

My portrayal of Jesus with thorns on his head, holding the globe in one hand and reaching out with the other, aims to convey themes of sacrifice, redemption and universal love.