John B. FlannaganAmerican, 1895–1942Jonah and the Whale
Can I see it?
Not on view at present
Where is “Jonah and the Whale” now? Collection: Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis. Not on view at present. Checked September 29, 2026.
Minneapolis, United States
It belongs to the collection, but is not on display at present.
- Checked
- In this state since
- Source
- The museum
About the sculpture
Flannagan's bronze sculpture represents the Old Testament parable of the prophet Jonah, who, having disobeyed God, was cast overboard by his fellow fishermen during a violent storm at sea, swallowed by a whale (fish), and disgorged unharmed three days later after praying for redemption. For Flannagan, the theme of Jonah and the whale embodied more than merely a didactic religious allegory, but a culmination of a lifelong exploration of the universal mysteries of life, death, and rebirth, a motif common among his mature works. Here, in an unconventional and highly personal interpretation, he depicts Jonah within the belly of the whale, enclosed as if in a womb, awaiting rebirth to the world of the living.
Minneapolis Institute of Art
Details
- Accession number
- 54.20a, b
In the catalog
Sources
- Minneapolis Institute of Art
- Image: Minneapolis Institute of Art — © Minneapolis Institute of Art
