Study for "The Tribute Money" 1782

This is John Singleton Copley’s Study for "The Tribute Money", created with graphite on paper. Copley, an Anglo-American painter, made this preparatory sketch as part of his work on a much larger oil painting of the same name. Here we see Copley wrestling with how to depict a scene from the Gospel of Matthew, in which Jesus is asked whether it is lawful to pay taxes to Caesar. Jesus famously responds, "Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's." Copley's historical context is crucial here. Living between America and England, he navigated the turbulent waters of revolution and shifting political allegiances. His choice of a biblical scene, specifically one dealing with the payment of taxes, speaks to the complex relationship between earthly and divine authority. The sketch emphasizes the emotional tension between the figures. By engaging with religious narratives, Copley invites viewers to reflect on their own moral and political responsibilities, then and now.