Posts Tagged ‘Art’

The depths of our Father’s love

March 12, 2010

The process of conversion and repentance was described by Jesus in the parable of the prodigal son, the center of which is the merciful father: the fascination of illusory freedom, the abandonment of the father’s house; the extreme misery in which the son finds himself after squandering his [...]

The Parable of the Lost Son

March 11, 2010

And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed, but nobody gave him any.  Coming to his senses he thought, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have more than enough food to eat, but here am I, dying from hunger.’ ~Luke 15:16-17

The joy of repentance

March 9, 2010

In this painting by Spanish painter Bartolomé Esteban Murillo (1617-1682), we see an interpretation of the famous parable of the Prodigal Son.  The painting is part of a series depicting lessons from the Corporal Works of Mercy showing the necessity of good works, and the importance of personal participation in such acts.   As you [...]

The Return of the Prodigal Son

March 7, 2010

In this month’s first Home Lesson your family will learn more about the parable of the Prodigal Son, a popular subject for artists.  I’ll post a few pieces this week, but the most well known is this one by Rembrandt.
Consider Rembrandt’s beautiful use of contrasts to highlight the realities of the story of the Prodigal [...]

One more reason to visit the Saint Paul Cathedral

February 12, 2010

A replica statue of Michelangelo’s Pietà will be unveiled for public view on February 17, just before the 7:30 a.m. Ash Wednesday Mass.
The Ash Wednesday unveiling kicks off the statue’s nation-wide tour. Created with Vatican consent by Nevada-based limited liability company Vescovo Buonarroti Art, it’s one of four Pietà replicas traveling the globe.
An Italian artist, [...]

An Iconostasis

December 28, 2009

These are a few photos I took years ago while on a visit to a Ukrainian church.  You might want to refer back to Matt’s informative post on the purpose of this beautiful tradition.
To the left (of Mary) and the right (of Christ) and on the upper levels you’ll typically see many icons of other saints and [...]

Patron of Artists

December 27, 2009

According to legend, Saint Luke was the first iconographer and the Blessed Virgin Mary was his favorite subject.  Various works have been attributed to his hand including the one in your Family Formation Home Lesson packet this month.
Whether Luke ever actually painted the Blessed Mother or not, we get a most beautiful “picture” of her [...]

The Prophet Jeremiah

December 14, 2009

In this piece by Rembrandt, the prophet Jeremiah is shown lamenting the destruction of the city of Jerusalem.  Because of their hardened, disobedient hearts, God allowed the great army of Nebuchadnezzar to  conquer Jerusalem.  Thousands were killed or taken captive and the city was burned.  On the left side you can see Zedekiah, the last [...]