Jonah and the Whale: Rebirth Motif (Primary Title)
John B. Flannagan, American, 1895 - 1942 (Artist)
Direct-carver John Flannagan was acclaimed for universal subjects that conveyed, in his words, “something of the record of the human spirit.” Jonah and the Whale, one of his most ambitious late works, represents a shift from naturalist to allegorical concerns. The graceful and whimsical repose of the bearded Old Testament prophet—his body folded womblike in the whale’s belly—suggests a positive outcome for this well-known tale of spiritual resurrection. The original version (Brooklyn Museum) was carved from natural bluestone, a favorite material that was plentiful near the sculptor’s home in Woodstock, New York. This later replica, a casting of simulated stone, was donated by the artist’s longtime dealer four years after Flannagan’s tragic death.
Gift of Curt Valentin
Image released via Creative Commons CC-BY-NC
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