The Bible. Old Testament. Book 1+2

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

James (Jacques Joseph) Tissot (1836–1902) — a French painter, engraver, illustrator, and outstanding portraitist. Tissot was born in Nantes into a devout family of a fabric merchant. By the age of seventeen, after graduating from a Jesuit boarding school, the young man decided to become a professional artist. His father was skeptical about this decision, but his mother passionately supported him, and in 1857 he left for Paris, where he entered the School of Fine Arts. His teachers were Hippolyte Flandrin and Louis Lamothe. There he made acquaintances with Impressionist artists who influenced his creative activity: among them were Edgar Degas, Édouard Manet, James Whistler, and Henri Lehmann. A few years later, when Tissot was twenty-three, he first displayed his works to the public — he became a participant 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 creative themes were extensive, but portraits of women 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 this time in England. He began participating in exhibitions again and continued to improve his skill: Seymour Hayden, the first president of the English Royal Society of Painter-Etchers, taught him the art of engraving. Tissot became very wealthy, and years later returned to Paris. He dedicated the rest of his life to illustrating the Bible, for which he undertook journeys to holy places — as a result, his sketches turned out to be extraordinarily accurate. Tissot was diligent in his work, his drawings were detailed, monumental, and lively.

The series "The Life of Christ and the Old Testament" — a recognized masterpiece of illustration. The drawings in the series, depicting biblical scenes, caused great enthusiasm among the public and were shown at exhibitions in Paris, London, and New York, and were published in separate collections. This edition offers the reader to get acquainted with the sacred text of one of the most significant books in human history, adorned with extraordinary illustrations by one of the most famous artists of past centuries.