"Baptism on the Mississippi" by Al DeForest Print Information



Do you see Jesus in the clouds?

First, let me apologize for the quality of the picture.  The print is simply beautiful and this picture does not do it justice.  This was my sisters' and I have it on my wall. I will give information from an article written by John Michael Lockhart in the Morning Advocate (Baton Rouge, LA).  I do not have the exact date it was written because I just have the article that was placed in the back of print. I believe it was written in 2008 since it indicates West's death 40 years prior to this article. The river preacher, as Lockhart calls him, is George West.  He was a modern day John the Baptist who would be on the banks of the Mississippi in Baton Rouge in the 1940s. He would preach and baptize while dressed in his white garb. He was born on February 13, 1885 (per Lockhart's article) and died on Saturday, June 22, 1968 according to another article from the Tuesday June 25, 1968 Morning Advocate article entitled Holy Man of River Bank Leaves "Flock" Forever. Also an iconic picture was taken in the 1960's by Ken Armstrong of West in his "preaching" garb and in Lockhart's article.  Another picture was painted on the side of Brian's Furniture Store in Port Allen by artist Troy Hotard (he was a classmate of mine and is a phenomenal artist) is also in Lockhart's article. Now about the print. The artist is Al DeForest and this print not only captures Mr. West, but within the clouds is Jesus. Thank you all for having documentation of this wonderful disciple of Christ.