Image Details

Photo by Scala/Art Resource, New York, NY

ON THE COVER: In Raphael’s Isaiah, the prophet’s scroll bears his verse: “Open the gates and let a righteous nation enter, [a nation] that keeps faith” (Isaiah 26:2). Painted in 1512–13, the portrait depicts Isaiah’s words reaching across the ages, appealing to people to accept the prophetic message. Raphael’s interpretation contrasts starkly with Michelangelo’s portrait of Isaiah. “Two Master Portraits of Isaiah,” spotlights these paintings and demonstrates that art can function as Bible commentary.