About this print

Helmet and Shield

Two pieces of old armor resting together, the kind a soldier sets down at the end of a day, and on the shield a carved cross.

What is painted

An iron helmet, dark and a little worn, leans against a round shield made of wooden planks. Carved into the face of the shield is a simple cross. The pair rest on the ground as if propped against a wall, set down but ready to be picked up again.

The painting is a still life in beige, brown and muted gold, with the metal of the helmet catching a dull light and the grain of the wood showing through. The shield's cross is the only sign in the picture; there is no text.

The helmet and the shield in Paul's letters

Paul uses the armor of a Roman soldier as a picture of the Christian life in Ephesians 6. After the belt, the breastplate and the shoes, he writes, “Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.” A soldier's large shield could cover him almost from head to knee, and Paul names it before the helmet and the sword.

Then comes the helmet of salvation. In another letter, 1 Thessalonians 5:8, Paul pairs them a little differently: the breastplate of faith and love, and “for an helmet, the hope of salvation.” Faith guards against the attacks that come from outside; the hope of salvation guards the mind.

Painting the shield with a cross makes the meaning clear. The faith that protects is not faith in oneself but in what Christ did on the cross.

For a confirmation, a father, a young man's room

This still life suits a young man's bedroom, a study or an office, and it makes a strong gift at confirmation, when a young person is sometimes described as becoming a soldier of Christ. It is also a good Father's Day gift for a dad who reads Ephesians 6 with his children, or for someone serving in the military.

The Christian poster is printed to order in the US on heavy archival matte paper and shipped free within the country, unframed and with a paper margin, in sizes from 5x7 up to 24x36 as well as metric and A sizes. A digital file is also available. The earthy, neutral tones make this Christian wall art easy to hang next to maps, bookshelves or a desk, and it pairs well with the Ephesians 6:17 print from the same collection if you want the armor of God on one wall.