Christ at the home of Mary and Martha is a painting by Henry Ossawa Tanner of the New Testament episode known as Christ in the House of Martha and Mary. It was completed about 1905 and permanently in the collections of the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.[1] Tanner spoke of the painting as having been particularly challenging to paint.[2] The painting was purchased in 1907 by the museum.[3] It was also exhibited in Pittsburgh in 1907 and New York in 1908.[2]
The painting illustrates Luke 10, verses 38–42 in the Bible, when Christ ate at the table of the sisters Martha and Mary.[2] In the scripture, Martha is doing all the work to serve as hostess to Jesus, while her sister sat with him.[2] She reproved Mary for sitting while she did all the work.[2] The painting is painted at the moment of the conversation, when Jesus reproves her, saying "Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her."[4][2]
- ^ "Henry Ossawa Tanner Christ at the Home of Mary and Martha". Carnegie Museum of Art.
- ^ a b c d e f Mosby, Dewey F. (1991). Henry Ossawa Tanner. Philadelphia Museum of Art. Philadelphia; New York: Philadelphia Museum of Art; Rizzoli International Publications. pp. 190–191. ISBN 978-0-8478-1346-9.
- ^ "To Turn Institute Into University: Thousands Inspect Pictures". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 17 June 1907. p. 5.
- ^ "Luke 10". Holy Bible, King James Version.