The Gospel of John contains 7 signs or miracles, and the healing of the blind man at the Pool of Siloam is the 6th. Rather than depicting the glorious aftermath of this miracle, or even the healing itself, Leighton opts to paint the grim prologue of this tale. The man uses a cane to detect his surroundings and a young maiden for equilibrium support. The Savior is nowhere to be seen. This painting humbly reminds us that every biblical miracle was preceded by anguish, which sometimes lasted for years. However, viewing this painting in context with John’s Gospel provides the promise that the Savior’s loving hand will momentarily come.
On September 21st, we celebrated what would have been Leighton’s 171st birthday. Word Count: 122
Guest author: Curatorial intern Tessa Haney
