3-043-892 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

"Christ Healing the Blind", by J. D. Crittenden, 1872. 'The sacred character of that incident in the New Testament history which Mr. Crittenden has made the subject of a fine sculpture in bas-relief, [in the] Royal Academy Exhibition, must command the reverent sympathy of all who look upon it, remembering of whom it is written, in the ninth chapter of St. John's narrative, "And He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay." The artist has been especially successful, we think, in rendering the submissive attitude and the expression of docile intelligence in the blind man, whose faithful and grateful testimony, when summoned afterwards by the rulers of the Jews to give an account of the wonderful work done upon him, engages our sincere interest on his behalf. "Why, herein is a marvellous thing," he says, "that ye know not whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes. Now, we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth His will, him He heareth. If this man were not of God, he could do nothing." The person who is reported by the Evangelist to have spoken in this manner is surely deserving of our esteem, and the sculptor has been well employed in representing the miracle performed by our Saviour'. From "Illustrated London News", 1872.