Christ before Caiaphas

Origin: Stom, Follower of, Matthias, Dutch, active in Italy (1600-after 1652)
Date: About 1630
Medium: Oil on canvas
Ackland Fund
79.58.1

Stom's Christ before Caiaphas has been placed opposite the entrance to the gallery to give viewers the full impact of its powerful realism. From a distance, the dramatic interrogation of Christ by the High Priest Caiaphas appears to be taking place before your eyes. We witness the priest's angry response when Christ refuses to answer the charges against him and to renounce his claim to be the son of God. (Matthew 26: 57-66)

Vivid depictions of Christ's suffering, such as Stom's Christ before Caiaphas, had a special significance in the early seventeenth century when the Protestant faith presented a serious challenge to Catholicism. For Catholic leaders, the story's message -- to remain steadfast in one's faith in the face of persecution -- was an important one to impress on those who might be tempted by the rival religion. Stom's persuasive realism made it easier for Catholics to see Christ as a living model of resistance to temptation.