The Two Disciples at the Tomb

c. 1906

Perhaps the most renowned American painter of religious works at the turn of the 20th century, Tanner moved to France in 1891 to escape the racism that limited his career. This painting depicts an event from the Gospel of Saint John in which Peter and John arrive at Christ’s empty tomb. Peter looks down somberly, while John is transfixed, bathed in a golden light.

Public domain · CC0
Free to download and reuse. Image courtesy of Art Institute of Chicago.

Artist

Henry Ossawa Tanner (American, 1859–1937)

Date

c. 1906

Medium

Oil on canvas

Dimensions

129.5 × 105.7 cm (51 × 41 7/8 in.)

Origin

Paris

Collection

Art Institute of Chicago

Credit

Robert A. Waller Fund