The Shadow of Death

This article is about the William Holman Hunt painting. For the video game, see Heroes of Might and Magic III: The Shadow of Death.

The Shadow of Death
ArtistWilliam Holman Hunt
Year1873
MediumOil on canvas
Dimensions214.2 cm × 168.2 cm (84.3 in × 66.2 in)
LocationManchester Art Gallery, Leeds Art Gallery, Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago

The Shadow of Death is a religious painting by the English painter William Holman Hunt, on which he worked from 1870 to 1873, during his second trip to the Holy Land.[1] It depicts Jesus as a young man prior to his ministry, working as a carpenter. He is shown stretching his arms after sawing wood. The shadow of his outstretched arms falls on a wooden spar on which carpentry tools hang, creating a "shadow of death" prefiguring the crucifixion. The arch of the window also creates a natural halo around the head of Christ. His mother Mary is depicted from behind, gazing up at the shadow, having been looking into a box in which she has kept the gifts given by the Magi.

  1. ^ Stott, John (2006). The Cross of Christ. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press. p. 23. ISBN 083083320X. He spent 1870-1873 in the Holy Land, and painted The Shadow of Death in Jerusalem, as he sat on the roof of his house.