Christ Healing the Blind Man

Christ who described himself as 'the light of the world' is depicted restoring the sight of a man blind since birth, as recounted in St John's Gospel. The crowd witnessing this miracle includes a mother and child, a soldier and a crippled man, in addition to Christ's Apostles and some sceptical Pharisees. The painting's small size did not inhibit Ricci's grand design. His balanced, richly coloured composition features monumental architecture and lively detail. The picture was owned by King George II's physician, Dr Richard Mead, and may have been painted as a gift, perhaps from a grateful patient.