“Doubting Thomas” by Jacek Malczewski as a symptom of the era
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15633/fhc.32113Keywords:
Jacek Malczewski, “Doupting Thomas”, religious art, Ernst Renan, Modernism, denial of the ResurrectionAbstract
The subject of consideration is Jacek Malczewski’s painting “Doubting Thomas” from 1910. The work deviates significantly from traditional representations of this theme. Christ turns away from the apostle, as if to prevent him from touching the wound on his side. The other disciples, instead of following the drama of the encounter, sit behind the table with their eyes downcast. One of them makes the mano cornuta gesture, placing his hand over his eye. These peculiarities have been analysed in the context of modernist narratives denying the divinity of Jesus, modernist esotericism and St Paul’s teaching on the resurrected body. The reflections led to the conclusion that the disciples represent the man of the modernist era, for whom faith based on the Gospel became problematic as a result of deepening criticism of Christianity. The image recalls the story of St. Thomas in order to raise the question of the accessibility of the foundations of faith in the risen Christ in the modern era.
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