Tiny Tim's Death-Artwork

Here is my concept sketch and my finished oil painting for the portrayal of ‘Tiny Tim’s Death’ in Dickens ‘A Christmas Carol’. Tim was the young son of Bob Cratchit. He is portrayed as a very frail boy who uses a crutch and leg irons to walk since he suffers from a severe illness. Mr. Cratchit can’t afford treatment for his son since Scrooge underpays him.

When Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by The Ghost of Christmas Present he is shown just how ill the boy really is, and that he will die unless he receives treatment. When visited by The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, Scrooge sees that Tiny Tim has died. This, and several other visions, ultimately led Scrooge to reform his ways.

In this painting I tried to capture the moment, when Bob Cratchit has returned home and gone upstairs to pray at Tim’s bedside. Tiny Tim has succumbed to his illness. Dickens writes, “He left the room, and went up stairs into the room above, which was lighted cheerfully, and hung with Christmas. There was a chair set close beside the child, and there were signs of some one having been there, lately. Poor Bob sat down in it, and when he had thought a little and composed himself, he kissed the little face. He was reconciled to what had happened, and went down again quite happy.”

The scene is one of the darkest points of Dickens story. In my painting I portrayed Tim’s spirit emitting light as a symbol of hope and redemption.