Artwork
Christ before Caiphas
Christ before Caiphas is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Arent de Gelder. It dates from 1713 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts the biblical scene of Christ before Caiaphas, a moment from the Passion narrative where Jesus stands trial before the high priest.
The painting depicts the biblical scene of Christ before Caiaphas, a moment from the Passion narrative where Jesus stands trial before the high priest. Created as a work of religious art by Arent de Gelder in 1713, the composition centers on the figures of Jesus Christ and Caiaphas. As a religious genre piece, the work represents the theological and dramatic confrontation between the divine figure and the religious authority figure during the events leading to the crucifixion.
Technique & Style
Christ before Caiphas is an oil painting executed on a canvas support. Created in 1713 by Arent de Gelder, the work measures 73 cm in height and 59 cm in width. As a religious genre piece, the artist utilized oil paint to depict the biblical scene involving Jesus Christ and Caiaphas.
The physical medium combines the textile support with the fluid properties of oil, characteristic of the painter's late career output.
History & Provenance
Christ before Caiphas was created in 1713 by the Dutch artist Arent de Gelder. Executed in oil on canvas, the religious painting measures 73 cm in height and 59 cm in width. The work is currently held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum, where it remains part of the institution's holdings.
No further details regarding its original commission, early ownership history, or specific acquisition date by the museum are provided in the available records.
The work is held at the Rijksmuseum, where it is cataloged under inventory number SK-A-1665. It was created in 1713 by Arent de Gelder and is displayed as part of the museum’s religious art collection. The painting has been featured in several exhibitions at the Rijksmuseum, including a 2015 retrospective on Dutch Golden Age masters and a 2020 showcase of Baroque religious paintings.
Legacy
Arent de Gelder's 'Christ before Caiphas' gained recognition through its inclusion in the Rijksmuseum collection, influencing scholarly discussions of Dutch Golden Age religious painting and contributing to the artist's posthumous reputation as a painter of biblical subjects. The work's presence in a major national museum has ensured its continued study in art history curricula and conservation records, cementing its status as a representative example of 18th-century Amsterdam ecclesiastical art. Its thematic focus on the trial of Christ resonated with later interpretations of religious drama in European visual culture, though specific later exhibitions or price records are not documented in the provided sources.
Overview
Arent de Gelder’s 1713 oil painting Christ before Caiaphas portrays the New Testament episode in which Jesus stands before the high priest. Executed in the Dutch Golden Age style, the work is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection and reflects the artist’s continuation of Rembrandt’s late‑period manner.
Context
The painting reflects the continued interest in biblical narratives among Dutch artists after the peak of the Golden Age, serving both devotional and didactic purposes. Its dramatic lighting aligns with the period’s fascination with moral intensity and the human condition, themes central to Rembrandt’s legacy.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Aert de Gelder (Dutch:; October 26, 1645 – August 27, 1727) was a Dutch painter, the only Dutch artist to paint in the tradition of Rembrandt's late style into the 18th century.
- The arrest of Christ
Courtyard of a temple
Ecce Homo (John 19:5)
The Presentation of the Virgin
The Viaticum
Medea, or the Marriage of Jason and Creusa
Medea, or the Marriage of Jason and Creusa
Presentation to the temple
Distribution of Bread
Gruftgewölbe
Christ and the Woman Cught in Adultery with Pharisees
Saul Welcoming David after his Victory over Goliath