Ark of the Covenant
c. 1865/1880
Medium
oil on canvas
Dimensions
overall: 50.8 x 61.3 cm (20 x 24 1/8 in.) framed: 63.8 x 74 x 5.7 cm (25 1/8 x 29 1/8 x 2 1/4 in.)
Classification
Painting
Department
CAB
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch
Accession Number
1956.13.3
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
Erastus Salisbury Field’s “Ark of the Covenant,” painted in oil on canvas 1865–1880, depicts the sacred chest described in the Hebrew Bible as the vessel containing the tablets of the Ten Commandments. Field, a largely self-taught American artist from Massachusetts, turned increasingly to biblical subjects later in his career, reflecting the deep religious currents that shaped 19th-century American life after the Civil War. The painting’s intimate scale—roughly 20 by 24 inches—encourages quiet contemplation, inviting viewers to consider both the ancient story and the artist’s personal vision ...
About the Artist
Erastus Salisbury Field · 1805–1900
1805–1900