Jesus In Photos – The Mid-Century Years

 

 

Early images of Jesus look not much the Jesus we see today and in the Turin Shroud. Back then he was bushy haired and youthful, soft-bodied like the Jesus at the Arian Baptistery, hopeful and free. The face was based on the best looking heathen gods.

In the Middle Ages, Jesus became soaked in blood and wracked in pain. This Jesus was about mankind, guilt and suffering. And that’s when, as coincidence had it, they found his Shroud in Italy. And you got know the Jesus we see today with pale skin, long hair and a beard.

We’re talking about Jesus because collector Robert E Jackson has delved into his fabulous image archive and created this gallery of Jesus snapshots.

 

 

… Your own personal Jesus
Someone to hear your prayers
Someone who cares
Your own personal Jesus
Someone to hear your prayers
Someone who’s there

– Depeche Mode, Your Own Personal Jesus

 

 

Saw a man in a bar with his hair like a lady
Bloody thorns ’round his ears like he was a crazy
He had holes in his hands and a cross for a spine
Crushed a berry in his perrier and called it wine

He said, “there’s great sadness in life, but don’t sit there and blub:
Here’s some tickets for your friends to the jesus stag night club!”

– Jesus Stag Night Club by Babybird

 

 

 

In 1940, commercial artist Warner Sallman (1892–1968) created the oil painting Head of Christ. That’s it being held by the group of children in the above photo. And there it is again and again and again in the pictures below. You might also have seen it in million more homes in America, on stamps, buttons and, well, pretty much anything.

 

 

“Just keep asking yourself: What would Jesus not do?”
― Chuck Palahniuk, Choke

 

 

And then I saw her face
Now I’m a believer
And not a trace
Of doubt in my mind
I’m in love
I’m a believer
I couldn’t leave her if I tried

– The Monkees, I’m A Believer

 

 

 

 

 

“What kind of Christmas present would Jesus ask Santa for?”
― Salman Rushdie, Fury

 

 

The first time ever I saw your face
I thought the sun rose in your eyes
And the moon and the stars were the gifts you gave
To the dark and the endless skies, my love
To the dark and the endless skies

– Roberta Flack, The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face