Who painted Feast in the House of Simon the Pharisee?

Feast in the House of Simon the Pharisee was painted by Henryk Rodakowski in 1858.

Where can I see Feast in the House of Simon the Pharisee?

Feast in the House of Simon the Pharisee is held by National Museum in Warsaw.

What movement is Feast in the House of Simon the Pharisee?

Feast in the House of Simon the Pharisee is associated with Realism.

Artwork

Feast in the House of Simon the Pharisee

Henryk Rodakowski , 1858

Feast in the House of Simon the Pharisee is an oil painting by the Realist artist Henryk Rodakowski. It dates from 1858 and is held in the collection of the National Museum in Warsaw.

About this work

Overview

Henryk Rodakowski’s oil on canvas, executed in 1858, depicts a banquet scene titled *Feast in the House of Simon the Pharisee*. The work is part of the collection of the National Museum in Warsaw and measures a modest size that nonetheless conveys a spacious interior filled with figures.

Subject & Meaning

The composition presents a formal dinner in a lofty hall, its architecture marked by columns and an arched opening. Guests in period dress occupy a long table, some seated, others standing, while a central figure—presumably the host or a focal biblical character—draws the viewer’s eye, suggesting a narrative of hospitality and social ritual.

Technique & Style

Rodakowski employs a restrained palette and careful modeling of light and shadow, creating depth through chiaroscuro that highlights the central figure against the darker recesses of the room. The brushwork balances fine detail in the costumes with broader strokes in the architectural background, reflecting mid‑nineteenth‑century academic painting conventions.

History & Provenance

Painted shortly after the artist’s return from studies abroad, the canvas entered the Polish national collection in the early twentieth century, eventually being assigned to the National Museum in Warsaw where it remains on display. Its acquisition reflects the museum’s effort to assemble works by prominent Polish painters of the Romantic‑Realist period.

Context

The subject draws on a New Testament episode in which Jesus dines at the house of Simon the Pharisee, a story often used to explore themes of forgiveness and social inclusion. Rodakowski’s choice of a grand interior aligns with contemporary historicist trends, situating the biblical narrative within a recognizable, aristocratic setting.