Christening Gown Still Life, Baptism Christian Wall Art

What is painted

The gown is laid flat, with short puffed sleeves, rows of lace at the hem and cuffs, and a small cross embroidered on the chest among fine leafy stitching. Its whites are shaded with the palest beige and gray. Behind it stands a tall ivory candle in a round ceramic holder painted with a sprig of leaves, its flame small and steady. A cut olive branch, slim silver-green leaves and a few green olives, lies across the gown.

The background is left almost empty, a warm ivory wash on paper. The effect is calm and bright, like a photograph of an heirloom taken in soft window light. Nothing is written on it.

What the gown, the candle and the olive mean

Each object comes from the baptism service itself. The white garment is one of the oldest signs of the sacrament: in the early church the newly baptized were dressed in white, and many churches still clothe the child in white after the water. The idea comes from Paul: “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Galatians 3:27).

In the Catholic rite, and in a number of other churches, the candle is lit from the Easter candle and handed to the parents and godparents, a reminder of Jesus' words “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12). Some families keep it and light it again on the child's baptism anniversary.

The olive branch recalls the oil used for anointing, traditionally olive oil, and also the leaf the dove brought back to Noah (Genesis 8:11), a sign that the waters had gone down and a new beginning had come. Early Christian writers saw the flood as a figure of baptism, as does 1 Peter 3.

A baptism gift that stays

This is the kind of baptism gift godparents give when they want something for the child's room that will still be there at a First Communion or a wedding. It fits a nursery or a girl's or boy's bedroom, and as Catholic wall art it sits naturally beside a crucifix or a rosary on the wall. Some families hang it near the framed baptismal certificate.

The Christian poster is printed to order in the United States on thick archival matte paper, ships free within the US and comes unframed with a white margin. Sizes run from 5x7 to 24x36, with A and metric sizes, and a digital file is available.