Christ Asleep during the Tempest

The painting is an oil on canvas work created by Eugène Delacroix in 1853, employing the oil paint medium on a canvas support. It belongs to a series of at least six biblical compositions of Christ asleep during a storm that Delacroix produced, reflecting his recurring interest in the subject. Formal analysis highlights Delacroix’s characteristic handling of color, vivid blues and greens punctuated with touches of purple, red and lemon yellow in the halo, producing a symbolic chromatic language.

Compositionally, the later version narrows the view to the boat, giving the figure of Christ dominant emphasis over the surrounding landscape, a shift noted in contemporary descriptions.

Eugène Delacroix painted Christ Asleep during the Tempest in 1853, as confirmed by multiple sources, marking it as one of at least six versions of the biblical narrative he executed. The work, an oil on canvas, was created during Delacroix’s later years, reflecting a shift in composition where the boat and Christ occupy a more central role compared to earlier variants. The painting entered the collection of art dealer Charles Sedelmeyer before being acquired by American collector Louisine Havemeyer, who later bequeathed it to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it has been housed since.

No specific commission for the work is documented in the provided sources, though its creation aligns with Delacroix’s broader exploration of religious themes during this period.

Christ Asleep during the Tempest occupies a notable place within Eugène Delacroix's mature religious output, as the artist produced at least six versions of the New Testament episode of Christ sleeping on the Sea of Galilee before being awakened by his terrified disciples, a subject known as the Miracle of the tempest calmed. Painted around 1853, this iteration belongs to a later group in which the boat of Christ is given greater compositional prominence than the surrounding seascape, distinguishing it from earlier treatments. A closely related oil of similar composition from the same period is held by the Portland Art Museum, while a 1854 variant with a more distant viewpoint is preserved at the Walters Art Museum.

The work's significance was further affirmed in 1886 when Vincent van Gogh, viewing the painting in Paris, praised its symbolic use of color, describing the blue, green, purple, red, and lemon-yellow halo as speaking "a symbolic language through color itself."

The painting has continued to attract scholarly attention and artistic admiration since its creation. Its visibility grew after the 1886 Paris exhibition, as recorded in the Met's exhibition history, placing Delacroix’s interpretation of the biblical episode before a wider public. The work’s symbolic use of color and composition influenced contemporary artists; Vincent van Gogh referenced the piece in 1886, noting its “symbolic language through color itself” and highlighting its impact on his own explorations of spiritual themes.

Over time, the painting has been reproduced in catalogues and online resources, cementing its status as a key example of 19th‑century religious art and contributing to Delacroix’s enduring legacy in the study of biblical subjects.

Eugène Delacroix, a leading French Romantic painter, created Christ Asleep during the Tempest around 1853. This oil on canvas depicts a serene Christ resting in a small boat amidst a violent storm on the Sea of Galilee, a scene from the New Testament. Despite its modest scale, the painting conveys a sense of immense drama and spiritual tranquility. It is currently housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.