Jesus Sleeping During the Tempest (Jésus dormant pendant la tempête)

James Tissot · 1886–1894
Brooklyn Museum, New York

The boat heels over in a grey, heaving sea. Its sail swings across the sheet, a man clings to the rigging at the stern, and the disciples in the bow grab the mast and each other in fear.

Inside the low cabin, almost hidden, Jesus lies asleep on a cushion, wrapped in white. The disciples crowd at the opening and reach in to wake him.

From the text

“the waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was being swamped” (Mark 4:37)

“Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on the cushion” (Mark 4:38)

“Teacher, don’t You care that we are perishing?” (Mark 4:38)

The artist’s own

A small cabin under the deck where Jesus sleeps

Red crosses painted on the cabin wall

Details

Asleep

Jesus lies in white on a red cushion inside the cabin.

Waking him

Hands reach in at the opening.

At the stern

A sailor hangs on to the ropes.

In fear

A disciple clutches his head with both hands.

James Tissot, French, 1836–1902. Brooklyn Museum, New York (Purchased by public subscription, 00.159.101) · Opaque watercolor over graphite on gray wove paper · Brooklyn Museum (Commons file page, «Permission»): "This image was uploaded by the Brooklyn Museum as a content partnership, and is considered to have no known copyright restrictions by the institutions of the Brooklyn Museum." — "No known copyright restrictions".