November 1, 1989
Selections from Tissot’s “The Life of Christ,” an exhibition of 80 watercolors from the series The Life of Christ, executed by French-born artist James (Jacques-Joseph) Tissot (1836-1902), will open December 15 at The Brooklyn Museum and remain on view through February 19, 1990, in the Prints and Drawings Galleries, located on the second floor. The series, completed in 1895 and numbering 345 works, served to illustrate the text that came to be known as the Tissot Bible, first published in 1896-97 and purchased by the Museum in 1900 by public subscription.
James Tissot, a noted painter of society life in London and Paris, turned to the world of religious spiritualism after being deeply affected by the death of his lover, Kathleen Newton, in 1883. Soon after, determined to devote his art to the depiction of the life of Christ, he traveled to Palestine, where he studied the landscape, architecture, people and customs of the Holy Land. From these studies, Tissot composed 365 works in gouache on paper in which are illustrated the story of the Life and Passion of Christ through selected texts drawn from the four Gospels, with occasional insertions of tales drawn from the Apocryphal Gospels or essays on various biblical topics.
The exhibition was organized by Sarah Faunce, Curator of Painting and Sculpture, and Linda Konheim Kramer, Curator of Prints and Drawings.
Brooklyn Museum Archives. Records of the Department of Public Information. Press releases, 1989 - 1994. 1989, 163-164. View Original
November 1, 1989
William Blake’s Book of Job, an exhibition of the complete portfolio of 21 black-and-white engravings and title page from the Book of Job by the British painter-printmaker-poet William Blake (1757-1827), will open December 15 at The Brooklyn Museum and remain on view through February 19, 1990. The exhibition, which is installed in the Prints and Drawings Galleries, located on the second floor, complements the Museum’s related exhibition, Selections from Tissot’s “The Life of Christ” (December 15 - February 19, 1990).
William Blake painted two series of watercolors illustrating the Book of Job, the first in 1805 for his patron Thomas Butts. In 1821 another patron, John Linnell, commissioned a second set that Blake partially traced from the Butts set. Two years later, Linnell commissioned Blake to create engravings after the watercolors. Although dated 1825, the portfolios were probably not released until March 1826 in both proof (deluxe) and regular editions, with a second edition created for Linnell in 1874. The set exhibited, which is from the Museum’s collection, is a proof set of the first edition and illustrates Blake’s late engraving technique at its best.
The exhibition will also feature Blake’s great watercolor The Great Red Dragon and the Woman Clothed with the Sun (circa 1803-5). It was organized by Barry Walker, Associate Curator of Prints and Drawings.
Brooklyn Museum Archives. Records of the Department of Public Information. Press releases, 1989 - 1994. 1989, 167. View Original
December 1, 1989
The Brooklyn Museum will feature two exhibitions for the holiday season, Selections from Tissot’s “Life of Christ” and William Blake’s “Book of Job.” Both exhibitions, drawn from the Museum’s permanent collection, will open December 15 in the Prints and Drawings Galleries, located on the second floor, and remain on view through February 19, 1990.
Please see enclosed press releases for further details.
Brooklyn Museum Archives. Records of the Department of Public Information. Press releases, 1989 - 1994. 1989, 183. View Original
