He looks at the coin and raises his hand.
Bible in art · Matthew
The Tribute Money (Le denier de César)
James Tissot · 1886–1894
Brooklyn Museum, New York
On the steps in front of the Temple, a group of men in turbans and rich mantles crowds round Jesus. An old man holds out a coin in his palm, and Jesus, in white, looks down at it with one hand raised.
Behind them rise green columns with gilded tops, and on the upper steps more men stand and watch. Tissot gave each questioner his own face and patterned dress.
From the text
- “Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” (Matthew 22:17)
- “Show Me the coin used for the tax.” And they brought Him a denarius (Matthew 22:19)
The artist’s own
- The meeting on the Temple steps
- Elaborately patterned robes of the questioners
Details
Jesus
The coin
An old man holds out the denarius on his palm.
A questioner
A white-bearded man in a patterned robe.
Watching
Men stand at the top of the steps.
James Tissot, French, 1836–1902. Brooklyn Museum, New York (Purchased by public subscription, 00.159.206) · 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".