Jesus Looking through a Lattice
"When Tissot first debuted his series in Paris in 1894, he preceded the earliest narrative scenes with this mysterious image of Jesus peering through a delicate screen. The artist provided the following verse from the Song of Solomon to accompany this unusual composition: “Behold, he [the beloved] standeth behind our wall, he looketh forth at the windows, showing himself through a lattice.”
As scholars have noted, the vines heavy with fruit and the sunflowers—traditional Christian symbols—sprout before or climb the thick stone wall. While the grapes evoke the rite of Communion, the bright yellow flowers, which grow toward the sun, suggest Christ’s followers, who turn faithfully to him.
This image of a partially hidden figure also suggests Tissot’s mission in painting the series: through his careful archaeological, anthropological, and historical researches at home and abroad, he sought to reveal the “true” Christ, who had been obscured, he asserted, by the “fancies” of successive centuries of artists."
Excerpt taken from Brooklyn Museum.Org Collections: European Art: Jesus Looking through a Lattice (Jésus regardant à travers le treillis)
My little one,
"My beloved is like a roe or a young hart:
behold,he standeth behind our wall,
he looketh forth at the windows,
shewing himself through the lattice"
(Song of Solomon 2:9)
"beloved,my only precious one
will thou believe my report now
only believe,my 'arm' thou will see
verily! verily! I say unto thee.
Swiftly as a'gazelle'by thy side
as a young 'deer' pants for water
my 'brooks' of 'living waters' thine
only ask thou in 'prayer' for ever
If only thou would tear down
thy 'walls' remove thy 'veil',my dove
behold,let me see thy face,so dear
'face' to 'face' to touch and 'heal'
it hurts so much,if thy 'veil'is on
behold I stand behind thy 'veil"
thy 'veil' removed my 'glory' thine
forever thine,my 'favour' blossom.
Glimpses of 'face'thou shalt see
my eyes ever upon thee never cease
ever 'peers' deeply at thy windows
ever 'shewing' through the 'lattice'
thus how much is my love for thee
never 'fear' even once,my precious
I cant take my eyes off thee ever
thou engraved upon my heart ever!
thou take the 'bread' and the 'wine'
thine the 'holy' communion cherish
this my 'body' 'broken' for thee alone
this my 'blood' covenant ransom be!
Glimpses of thy beloved thou see
shewing himself through the 'lattice'
ever 'peering' never ceasing glances
to behold thou 'break' my 'bread'ever!
Saith thy Lord ! thy God! thy King!
