Christ Washing the Apostles' Feet (Ms. Ludwig II 6, fol. 10, from the Gospel Book)

Unknown Armenian painter · 1386
Getty Center, Los Angeles

From an Armenian Gospel book made near Lake Van, in what is now eastern Turkey, in 1386. Its pictures are drawn in black ink and coloured with thin watercolour on the bare page, without gold.

Jesus bends over a basin and holds Peter’s foot. Peter sits opposite, one hand raised to his head. Below them the other apostles wait in two groups, drawn with swirling folds; small Armenian labels name the figures.

From the text

He pours water into a basin (John 13:5)

“Lord, are You going to wash my feet?” (John 13:6)

The artist’s own

Spiral folds in the robes, typical of this school of drawing

Small Armenian captions beside the figures

Details

Jesus

He bends over the basin.

Peter

He raises his hand to his head.

The basin

A bowl of water between them.

The apostles

The others wait below.

Unknown illuminator, Armenian (Lake Van). The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles (Ms. Ludwig II 6 (83.MB.70), fol. 10) · Black ink and watercolors · Images provided here are believed to be in the public domain and are available under CC0 through Getty’s Open Content Program. (Getty record: "No Copyright", http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)

The verses

John 13:4–9So He got up from the supper, laid aside His outer garments, and wrapped a towel around His waist. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and dry them with the towel that was around Him. He came to Simon Peter, who asked Him, “Lord, are You going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” “Never shall You wash my feet!” Peter told Him. Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with Me.” “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not only my feet, but my hands and my head as well!”