2.16.2011

Beneath Golgotha

There truly is a face of a skull in the side of the hill just as I painted it. When on a research trip to the Holy Land I visited a place believed to be where Christ was crucified. It was called Golgotha or Calvary, which when translated means “place of the skull.” There is no geological formation around Jerusalem which resembles this spot. It is just North of the city a short distance from the Damascus Gate. Currently there is an Arab bus station beneath the hill. On the opposite side of the hill is the Garden Tomb.

Click on image to enlarge

This painting is very different from other Crucifixion scenes I have seen. Traditionally it would be painted on top of a hill and the cross would be straight and well crafted. I endeavored in every way to paint this scene as archeologically accurate as possible. The Savior’s body has just been pulled down from the cross and is being wrapped while the Roman guards gather together on the right side. The crosses are made from olive trees which would have been the common wood used for crucifixion. This image is both haunting and provocative to me as I consider the reality of my Lord’s final hours in mortality.

 Here is a picture of how it appears today from a different angle. 

8 comments:

  1. I love it! Very moving! GREAT Job!

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  2. for me, there is so much sadness in this painting..i guess the 'familiar' images of a cross on a hill bring a glory and hope to the scene...here, there is a sadness and mourning, the skull, the shadows...i have always found your paintings uplifting and beautiful, this one is indeed haunting and serious, and strikingly different than any crucifixion painting i have ever seen.

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  3. The geographical context of this adds a whole new dimension to my concept of the scene.

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  4. Wow! This does seem more real, more personal and identifiable. I believe you have the right idea that they didn't use an 8' 4x4 piece of kiln-dried lumber. And I always wondered how Golgotha-the place of the skull-looked, to get that description. Is Golgotha still accessible today or is it over built with a mosque or church? In other words, can we still see the "skull" shape in it? At least with your painting, I can imagine it. Thanks!

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  6. I believe this is a very close interpretation of this event. At this point, it would be very sad, dark & filled with despair. Christ's resurrection was not yet a known reality. It is as if the viewer is looking from a distance almost in reverence. Excellent.

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  7. Jon, I can see it now! I had never seen a photo or drawing before of how Golgotha looked like a skull. It is extraordinary, and your rendition of it is as well! Thanks for posting the photo along with your painting!

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  8. We spent some time visiting the Garden Tomb (http://www.gardentomb.org/) in Jerusalem in September 2012. In these days leading up to Good Friday I have been pondering what the scene may have looked like at the crucifiction. A quick Google search led me to this page, and I am deeply blessed by your painting. Thank you!

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