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Artwork for Bible & Art Reframed
Bible & Art Reframed · Wednesday · 24 min

Fish

There are a lot of fish in the Bible. And as it happens, fish also pop up in artworks. Indeed, some of the very earliest Christian objects show this subject. In this episode, Joost and Michelle set out why artists have been so inspired by creatures of the deep, and make connections to scriptural passages about Tobias, Jonah, and the power and teachings of Jesus—‘ichthus’—to his followers. Warning: this is a pun heavy episode. Joost just couldn’t reel it in. The artworks and insights in this episode of Bible & Art Reframed can be explored in more detail on the Visual Commentary on Scripture: the internet’s premier place for Bible and Art. It houses over 1000 artworks and insightful commentary from experts around the World. Support Bible & Art Reframed by subscribing, sharing with a friend, and leaving us a review! ________ Links to Artworks Unknown Roman artist, Glass fragment with Tobias and the Fish, c.300–99, Glass, 2.6 x 1.4 cm, The Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, NY; Acquired 1966 from the Collection of Giorgio Sangiorgi, 66.1.204, Photo: Collection of The Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, NY Also discussed: Unknown artist, Bowl Base with Miracle Scenes, c.350-400, The Metropolitan Museum of Art Collection, Rogers Fund, 1916. Pieter Lastman, Jonah and the Whale, 1621, Oil on oak panel, 36 x 52.1 cm, Museum Kunstpalast Düsseldorf; mkp.M 193, © Kunstpalast - Walter Klein - ARTOTHEK Simeon Ardjishetsi, Baptism of Christ, from Gospel by the painter Simeon Ardjishetsi (Simeon of Arces), 1305, Manuscript illumination, The Matenadaran, Yerevan, Armenia; MS 2744, fol. 4r, Scala / Art Resource, NY Peter Paul Rubens, Miraculous Draught of Fishes, 1618, Oil on panel, 301 x 447 cm; central panel: 301 x 235 cm; wings: 301 x 106 cm, Church of Our Lady Across the River Dyle in Mechelen, Belgium; Jozef Sedmak / Alamy Stock Photo Paul Thek, Fishman in Excelsis Table, 1970–71, Mixed media; ©️ The Estate of George Paul Thek; Photo: Lothar Schnepf ©️ Kolumba, Cologne Explore additional artworks on this theme in our Curated Commentaries on Fish. _______ Hosts: Dr Michelle Fletcher and Dr Joost Joustra Producer: Megan Jones Theme: Tim Bentley Instagram: @the_VCS TikTok: @thevcs.org YouTube: VisualCommentaryonScripture

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There are a lot of fish in the Bible.  

And as it happens, fish also pop up in artworks. Indeed, some of the very earliest Christian objects show this subject.  

In this episode, Joost and Michelle set out why artists have been so inspired by creatures of the deep, and make connections to scriptural passages about Tobias, Jonah, and the power and teachings of Jesus—‘ichthus’—to his followers.  

Warning: this is a pun heavy episode. Joost just couldn’t reel it in.  

The artworks and insights in this episode of Bible & Art Reframed can be explored in more detail on the Visual Commentary on Scripture: the internet’s premier place for Bible and Art. It houses over 1000 artworks and insightful commentary from experts around the World.   
 
Support Bible & Art Reframed by subscribing, sharing with a friend, and leaving us a review! 
________ 
 

Links to Artworks 

  1. Unknown Roman artist, Glass fragment with Tobias and the Fish, c.300–99, Glass, 2.6 x 1.4 cm, The Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, NY; Acquired 1966 from the Collection of Giorgio Sangiorgi, 66.1.204, Photo: Collection of The Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, NY

    Also discussed:

    Unknown artist, Bowl Base with Miracle Scenes, c.350-400, The Metropolitan Museum of Art Collection, Rogers Fund, 1916. 
     
  2. Pieter Lastman, Jonah and the Whale, 1621, Oil on oak panel, 36 x 52.1 cm, Museum Kunstpalast Düsseldorf; mkp.M 193, © Kunstpalast - Walter Klein - ARTOTHEK  
     
  3. Simeon Ardjishetsi, Baptism of Christ, from Gospel by the painter Simeon Ardjishetsi (Simeon of Arces), 1305, Manuscript illumination, The Matenadaran, Yerevan, Armenia; MS 2744, fol. 4r, Scala / Art Resource, NY 
     
  4. Peter Paul Rubens, Miraculous Draught of Fishes, 1618, Oil on panel, 301 x 447 cm; central panel: 301 x 235 cm; wings: 301 x 106 cm, Church of Our Lady Across the River Dyle in Mechelen, Belgium; Jozef Sedmak / Alamy Stock Photo  
     
  5. Paul Thek, Fishman in Excelsis Table, 1970–71, Mixed media; ©️ The Estate of George Paul Thek; Photo: Lothar Schnepf ©️ Kolumba, Cologne 
     

Explore additional artworks on this theme in our Curated Commentaries on Fish. 

_______ 

Hosts: Dr Michelle Fletcher and Dr Joost Joustra  

Producer: Megan Jones 

Theme: Tim Bentley 

Instagram: @the_VCS 

TikTok: @thevcs.org 

YouTube: VisualCommentaryonScripture 

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