- The “Mays” of Notre-Dame
- The Descent of the Holy Spirit
- Saint Peter Healing the Sick with His Shadow
- The Conversion of saint Paul
- The Centurion Cornelius at the Feet of Saint Peter
- The Preaching of Saint Peter in Jerusalem
- The Crucifixion of Saint Peter
- The Crucifixion of Saint Andrew
- The Stoning of Saint Stephen
- The Predictions of the prophet Agabus to Saint Paul
- The Visitation
- Saint Thomas Aquinas, Fountain of Wisdom
The Holy Spirit
Pentecost, from the Greek “pentékostê” meaning “fiftieth,” is celebrated fifty days after Easter. It commemorates the mystery of the Holy Spirit among the apostles and the birth of the Church. The Holy Spirit typically appears in the form of a dove or an element symbolizing the fire of faith.
In the Scriptures
During His final meeting with His disciples, Christ said, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts of the Apostles, chapter 1, verse 8).
The text from the Acts of the Apostles then recounts that the twelve disciples and Mary were together when a sound like the blowing of a violent wind filled the house, and tongues of fire appeared. “They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them” (Acts of the Apostles, chapter 2, verses 1-4).
In the Bible, wind and fire are signs of God’s presence. Filled with a new inner strength, which they recognize as the action of Jesus’ spirit within them, the apostles overcome their fears and begin to fervently testify to their faith in the resurrection. First in Jerusalem, then from city to city and everywhere in the world, the first Christian communities are established. Pentecost marks the birth of the Church, which unites the baptized in Christian faith.
The Painting
The apostles are gathered around Mary, seated on the right. They express their amazement at the sight of the tongues of fire resting on their heads. The setting is a Greek-style architecture adorned with Ionic columns. The composition is arranged in a cross shape, and the variety of attitudes and emotions render the scene dynamic.
Jacques Blanchard
Blanchard was 34 years old when he painted this canvas. Critics recognized his talent as a promising painter. From his journey to Italy, Blanchard learned from the Italian masters, skillfully incorporating the play of light across the different planes of the composition.
