Picture Perfect Jesus: Sallman's Head of Christ

Along with George Washington's and the Mona Lisa, Sallman's Head of Christ has to be one of the world's most famous portraits. Yet, while people of all ages and persuasions readily identify this image as Jesus Christ, almost no one knows the painter. Commercial artist Warner Sallman's portrait of Christ became something of a marketing marvel during the 1940s when it appeared on everything from clocks to funeral fans, and was hung indiscriminately in public places and distributed on wallet-size cards to servicemen and women of all religious persuasions (until First Amendment issues put an end to that in the '90s). Hal Holbrook narrates this ‘portrait of a portrait,' which traces the history of the work, its universal popularity, and social changes which caused it to be discredited, as well as offering a look at modern depictions of Jesus and various viewpoints on the reproduction of his image. The result is a surprisingly engrossing film--richly researched, thoughtful and respectful--that will comfort those who find this image ‘picture perfect' and challenge others to contemplate what face they put on faith. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (J. Reed)