Christ healing the Paralytic at the Pool of Bethesda

Image credit: The National Gallery, London

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This painting shows one of the seven acts of charity described in the Gospel of Matthew and was part of a series that Murillo painted for the church of the Hospital de la Caridad in Seville. The Caridad was a charitable brotherhood dedicated to helping the poor and sick of the city; Murillo himself was a member.

The pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem was periodically visited by an angel, and whoever first touched its water after this would be cured of illness. Christ went to the pool and heard a sick man complain that someone always stepped into the water before him.

Here, Christ invites the man to stand, curing him; their mirrored hand gestures capture the powerful connection between them. The man’s raised arms create an upward motion, as if he is being lifted from the ground by an invisible force – a visual evocation of the miracle taking place.

The National Gallery, London

London

Title

Christ healing the Paralytic at the Pool of Bethesda

Date

1667-70

Medium

Oil on canvas

Measurements

H 237 x W 261 cm

Accession number

NG5931

Acquisition method

Presented through The Art Fund in memory of W. Graham Robertson, 1950

Work type

Painting

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Normally on display at

The National Gallery, London

Trafalgar Square, London, Greater London WC2N 5DN England

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