God’s Kind of Happiness as seen in Cosimo Rosselli’s Upon the Mount

Cosimo Rosselli (1439-1507) was an Italian painter who was born in Florence, Italy. As a young, aspiring artist, Rosselli painted several altar-pieces for various churches in Florence. He was employed to paint frescoes in churches at Fiesole and Lucca. He must have gained a reputation and a following from his frescoes. In 1480, Rosselli was one of the painters called by Pope Sixtus IV to decorate the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican. Other well known masters such as Sandro Botticelli, Pietro Perugino, Domenico Ghirlandaio, and others were also invited.

Three of Rosselli’s frescoes adorn the Sistine Chapel: the Descent from Mount Sinai, the Last Supper, and Upon the Mount.

Some art scholars believe that Rosselli’s work is inferior to the works of the other illustrious masters who have paintings in the famous chapel. They believe him to be weak in his drawing and imagination, with many of his figures created without expression or emotion. It is rumored that Pope Sixtus IV appreciated Rosselli’s fresco of the Sermon on the Mount more than the other paintings because Rosselli used real gold to create brighter colors in this particular painting.

Rosselli’s Sermon on the Mount is on the northern wall in the Sistine Chapel, created 1481-1482.
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In this painting, Jesus is standing in the midst of masses of people. His disciples are huddled close together behind Jesus and on His left. In the background, you can see Jesus as Rabbi and His disciples walking on the road to the Mount. On right side Christ is seen healing a leper. This is commonplace in many ancient paintings where they contain more than one scriptural subject.

The beatitudes speak of blessings and happiness that are counter to any kind of culture. People today – just like in Jesus’ day – are searching for happiness. They won’t find that happiness in wealth, revenge or indulging the sinful nature. That happiness may be momentary as our sinful flesh and mind receive short-lived pleasure. But true, lasting and eternal happiness eludes us.

Jesus teaches a different kind of happiness – one that runs counter to any kind of culture. It is a happiness that is based solely on Him. Perhaps Rosselli chose to add Christ healing a leper to his Sermon on the Mount painting because this was a visual demonstration of happiness in action. There is physical happiness portrayed on the right side of the painting in the leper’s healing and there is spiritual happiness portrayed on the left side in Jesus’ sermon.

People are searching for happiness. Where can it be found? On a hill along the shores of the Sea of Galilee. In a healing encounter with Jesus. Upon the bloody Roman cross standing outside the walls of Jerusalem. And in the open and empty borrowed tomb. That’s God’s kind of happiness.