Christ in the Desert

Ivan Kramskoi

1872 · Oil on canvas · State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow

Size2:3 ratio

Frame

$59Unframed print · made to order

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Complete the setHangs well with these two

This print

Christ in the Desert

The Entombment of Christ

The Baptism of Christ (Da Vinci)

3 × $59 at 16 × 24 in, unframed = $177 → $159.30 as a set · 10% included · free shipping

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Giclée-printed to order on heavyweight matte fine-art paper

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Arrives perfect or we reprint it — free

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About this work

Artist: Ivan Kramskoi (1837–1887)
Year: 1872
Medium: Oil on canvas
Original size: 180 × 210 cm
Collection: State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow
Movement: Realism

Christ sits alone on the stones of a cold desert at dawn, hands clasped and head bowed, after the forty days of fasting and temptation, the horizon a thin band of light behind him. Kramskoi worked on the picture for five years and finished it in 1872; he said he had wanted to paint a man who had decided to do what he had to do, and he avoided every traditional sign of divinity, no halo, no devil, only a figure in a dark robe on grey rock. Shown at the second exhibition of the Peredvizhniki, it was bought by Pavel Tretyakov for six thousand roubles and became the central religious image of Russian realism, admired by Tolstoy and argued over by critics who found it either too human or not human enough. It is in the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow.

This print reproduces the whole work, uncropped, from a high-resolution scan of the original. The original is in the public domain.

Where it works

A solitary figure in a dark robe seated on grey rocks beneath a cold dawn sky, in stone, slate and pale pink, a contemplative painting for a study, reading corner or bedroom at 24×36 in natural wood. Pale grey, stone or soft blue walls suit it; pair it with At Eternity's Gate.

Style, size & framing detail

Style: Realism painting
Era: 19th century (1872)
Orientation: Portrait
Mood: grand
Rooms: bedroom, study or library, living room, dining room
Good gift for: housewarming, art lovers

Size. We'd hang this one at 24×36. Prints at 12×18, 16×24, 24×36 in — 12×18 for a shelf, desk or a gallery-wall grid; 16×24 above a desk, console or in a hallway; 24×36 as the statement piece above a sofa or bed.

Framing. The gallery ground is part of the print, so frame it without a mat — black suits the deep tones of this period; natural wood lightens it.

Pairing. Pairs as a set of three with other famous painting prints (10% off three or more).

Details & materials

• Restored in-house from the original painting — cleaned and colour-trued at museum resolution • Heavyweight matte fine-art paper, giclée printed at 300 DPI • Sizes: 12×18, 16×24, 24×36 in; every size also available framed • Framed option: wood frame in black or natural wood, 12 mm wide and 22 mm deep, with a plexiglass front and no mat; the print is mounted inside and the frame's outside measures the listed size • Made to order; colours may vary slightly from screen

Shipping & returns

Printed after you order at the facility nearest you, then shipped. Standard delivery is free and takes 4–9 business days from order to door in the US, UK and EU (up to 10 elsewhere); Express takes 4–6 business days. Because each print is made to order we don't take change-of-mind returns, but if it arrives damaged or flawed we'll reprint or refund it — no return needed. Full policy →

Is this the whole painting, or a crop?

The whole work, uncropped. The image fills the print at the painting's own proportions; nothing is trimmed to fit a frame.

Is Christ in the Desert in the public domain?

Yes. Ivan Kramskoi (1837–1887) died more than 70 years ago and the work was published before 1929, so the painting itself is public domain. This print is a reproduction made from a high-resolution scan of the original, which is held by State Tretyakov Gallery.

What is it printed on?

Heavyweight matte fine-art paper with pigment inks, made to order in 12×18, 16×24 and 24×36 inches; every size is also offered framed in black or natural wood, with plexiglass and no mat. Colours are matched to the scan, not brightened.

When was Christ in the Desert painted, and in what medium?

Christ in the Desert dates from 1872 and was made in oil on canvas; the original measures 180 × 210 cm.

What size works above a sofa or bed?

Across a three-seat sofa or a queen bed, 24×36 is the size that reads as one statement piece; 16×24 suits a narrower wall or a pair. For Christ in the Desert we'd choose 24×36.

About this design

Christ in the Desert (Ivan Kramskoi) — Christ in the Desert · Ivan Kramskoi · 1872. This is a fine-art reproduction of a public-domain masterwork, shown whole and uncropped on a gallery ground, printed to order on heavyweight matte fine-art paper. Every size is offered unframed or framed in black or natural wood. Part of the Madten Fine Art Collection. — — — Printed to order and shipped by our production partner, Gelato.

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The Madten promise

Gallery-grade archival giclée. Rich pigment inks on heavyweight fine-art paper (or gallery-wrapped canvas) — built to last, not a poster-shop print.

Arrives perfect or we reprint it — free. Every piece is made to order; if it shows up damaged or flawed we remake it, no return needed.

Free worldwide shipping. Made & shipped from the facility nearest you — most orders arrive in 4–9 business days.

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