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Philippe de
Champaigne
1602-1674
Christ Healing the
Blind
ca. 1655-60
Oil on canvas
40-1/4 x 55-7/8 in.
Basing his painting on the parable of Christ healing the blind in Matthew 20:29-34, Champaigne shows Christ pointing his right hand to--and healing--two blind men, kneeling on the far left. The artist was chiefly known early in his career for his deeply religious paintings and solemn portraits. In his later years, Champaigne painted a number of landscapes--an interest revealed in this work with its emphasis on the landscape setting of the parable. Beyond the grotto shaded by towering trees where Christ stands, a broad, placid river fills the middle distance. A bridge leads to a walled town and to the steep promontory and imposing mountains in the distance.