The Resurrection

The Resurrection was painted by American artist Robert Clark in 1965. It was conceived as a companion to The Crucifixion. While The Crucifixion depicts Christ on Good Friday moments before he was crucified, The Resurrection shows Christ on Easter morning, just after he has emerged from his tomb. An angel sits nearby, and on the hill in the background is Golgotha, the place where Jesus was crucified.

Perhaps the most remarkable thing about The Resurrection is the fact that it moves! Robert Clark’s painting, which is more than 4 stories tall, slides on a track located just in front of The Crucifixion. Although The Crucifixion and The Resurrection are displayed in the same building, the stories of how these artworks arrived here could not be more different. Jan Styka’s Crucifixion traveled extensively. It was painted in Poland, and it went to several cities in Europe and the United States. In sharp contrast, The Resurrection has never left this building. Forest Lawn constructed a studio for Clark that is connected to the theater. This is also the space where today the painting is housed when not on display. The Resurrection was dedicated on May 27, 1965, and the building was renamed the Hall of Crucifixion-Resurrection.