Jesus Saves is one of four paintings by Indiana dominated by a circle containing the phrase “Jesus Saves.” It is the only diamond-shaped canvas. Halleluiah (1969) and Hallelujah (Jesus Saves) (1969) are rectangular, and Jesus Saves (1969-70), in the collection of the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., is a tondo. Although Indiana had tackled religious subjects in his work, including the crucifixion in his mural Stavrosis (1958), he noted in an interview published in the May 1974 issue of ARTnews that while he could “appreciate the more profound aspects of the subject” in this instance he was "not trying to be profound." Instead, he had simply been inspired by a t-shirt saying “Jesus Saves,” which one of his studio assistants had worn.
