Jonah 1-4
Jonah in Biblical Art
Jonah appears in biblical art as prophet, runaway, sign, and reluctant witness to mercy.
Bible and Art Context
Michelangelo placed Jonah on the Sistine Chapel ceiling among the prophets. The great fish behind him points to the story, while Jonah's turned body and unsettled posture fit a prophet who is never comfortable with God's compassion for Nineveh.
Public domain
The Prophet Jonah
Michelangelo, 1511-1512, Fresco
The fish identifies Jonah, but Michelangelo also captures the prophet's restless, resistant personality.
Source: Wikimedia CommonsQuestions about Jonah in Art
Where is Jonah in the Bible?
Jonah has his own short prophetic book in the Old Testament.
Why is Jonah important in Christian art?
Jonah was often connected to death, deliverance, and the sign of resurrection because of the three days associated with the great fish.