s Christ blessing the children - Hull Museums Collections

Christ blessing the children

Haydon was an English painter of historical and religious works, in a style strongly influenced by Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723-92). A very opinionated character, he spent much of his life in opposition to the art establishment, continually fighting for personal recognition and for social patronage of the arts. He was passionately committed to the concept of a National Gallery in England. Tragically, frustration and disappointment led to his eventual suicide. This painting recalls a chapter in the Bible where a group of children rushed to greet Jesus only to be hushed away by the disciples. On noticing this Jesus was angry and ordered his disciples to let the children near him. He told the disciples that only those who were humble like a child would be great in the eyes of God, saying, “whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” (Mark 10:15) Christ blessing the children is a sketch for a much larger painting by Haydon now at the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool and painted in London, to commission, for the Liverpool Asylum for the Blind.