The Vision of Zacharias (Vision de Zacharie)

James Tissot · 1886–1894
Brooklyn Museum, New York

James Tissot painted more than 350 small gouaches of the life of Jesus between 1886 and 1894, after journeys to Palestine to draw its landscapes, buildings and people. The series opens in the Temple with the priest Zechariah.

Incense rises in a grey cloud before the gilded altar. The angel, all white feathers and pale light, leans out of the smoke and stretches a hand towards the old priest, who lifts both hands in surprise.

From the text

Zechariah burns incense in the temple of the Lord (Luke 1:9)

The angel stands “at the right side of the altar of incense” (Luke 1:11)

Zechariah is “startled and gripped with fear” (Luke 1:12)

The artist’s own

A priest’s turban, patterned robe and striped sash drawn from Eastern dress

The angel half hidden in the smoke of the incense

Details

The angel

A winged figure in white leans down out of the cloud.

Raised hands

Zechariah lifts both hands, and the angel reaches towards them.

The altar

Gold panels of the altar of incense show through the smoke.

Bare feet

Below the cloud, the angel’s white robe and bare feet touch the floor.

James Tissot, French, 1836–1902. Brooklyn Museum, New York (Purchased by public subscription, 00.159.13) · 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".

The verses

Luke 1:8–13One day while Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And at the hour of the incense offering, the whole congregation was praying outside. Just then an angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and gripped with fear. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John.