The Bible. Old Testament

The Bible is the most important book of Christianity, one of the oldest books in the world and one of the most significant books in history. It has been reprinted an incalculable number of times in different languages around the world, and it has been illustrated by many talented artists. The beauty and diversity of the text of the Old Testament in this edition are presented in the Synodical translation. The text is accompanied by color illustrations created by the gifted French artist James Tissot.

The Bible is the most important book of Christianity and one of the oldest books in the world. It has been reprinted countless times in various languages around the world, and it has been illustrated by many artists. This edition contains the text of the Old Testament in the Synodical translation. The text is accompanied by color illustrations created by James Tissot.

James (Jacques Joseph) Tissot (1836–1902) was a French painter, engraver, illustrator, and outstanding portraitist. Tissot was born in Nantes to a devout family of fabric merchants. By the age of seventeen, after finishing a Jesuit boarding school, the young man decided to become a professional artist. His father received this decision skeptically, but James was warmly supported by his mother, and in 1857 he moved to Paris, where he enrolled in the School of Fine Arts. His teachers included Hippolyte Flandrin and Louis Lamothe. There, he also became acquainted with Impressionist artists who influenced his creative activity: among them were Edgar Degas, Édouard Manet, James Whistler, and Henri Lerolle. A few years later, when Tissot was twenty-three years old, he first showed his works to the public — he participated in the Paris Salon, a prestigious art exhibition supported by the French government. From that moment, it became clear that the young man was destined for success. Tissot's talent was recognized, he became widely famous, and the prices for his paintings were fantastic. His themes were broad, but women’s portraits held a special place in the artist's heart. After the Franco-Prussian War, Tissot was forced to leave Paris for London. Just two years later, James Tissot became known again, but now in England. He resumed participating in exhibitions and continued to refine his skills: Seymour Hayden, the first president of the English Royal Society of Painter-Etchers, taught him the art of engraving. Tissot became a very wealthy man and years later returned to Paris. The rest of his life he devoted to illustrating the Bible, for which he undertook journeys to holy places — this resulted in extraordinarily accurate sketches. Tissot was diligent in his work, and his drawings turned out detailed, monumental, and lively. The series “The Life of Christ and the Old Testament” is a recognized masterpiece of illustration. The drawings from the series, capturing biblical scenes, caused an enthusiastic response from the public and were shown at exhibitions in Paris, London, and New York; they were printed in separate collections. This edition invites the reader to become acquainted with the sacred text of one of the most significant books in the history of humanity, adorned with extraordinary illustrations by one of the most famous artists of past centuries.