Christ Walking on the Sea

About this artwork

Research in Progress

Art Historical Context

In the hallowed tradition of 17th-century French printmaking, Michel Lasne *Christ Walking on the* (ca. 1650) captures a pivotal biblical miracle from the Gospel of Matthew. Here, Jesus strides across stormy waters toward his frightened disciples in a boat, embodying divine power over nature and faith amid turmoil. Lasne, a engraver active in Paris (ca. 1590–1667), crafted this print during the Baroque era, a time when religious imagery flourished to inspire devotion amid the Catholic Counter-Reformation. As a print, the work exemplifies the era's innovative reproductive techniques, likely an engraving that allowed widespread dissemination of grand religious scenes originally painted by masters. Prints like this were affordable marvels, bringing sacred narratives into homes and churches across Europe, bridging elite art with everyday spirituality. Lasne's precise line work would have conveyed dramatic light, motion, and emotion, hallmarks of Baroque dynamism. Housed in the Smithsonian American Art Museum's collection, this piece invites reflection on faith's triumphs. Though research continues, it stands as a testament to prints' enduring role in preserving and popularizing devotional art.