Like yesterday’s painting, the artist of this one uses his great skill to trick your eyes into seeing something that isn’t really thereOn first glance, this looks like a photograph of a sculpture, but again it’s just skillfully painted on a flat wall. You can see the Holy Spirit pictured as a dove and the [...]
Posted tagged ‘Art’
The Holy Trinity
May 9, 2010This is a famous depiction of the Trinity by the 15th century Italian artist, Masaccio. His wonderful use of perspective makes it look very three dimensional, even though it’s really painted on a flat wall. Notice the tomb on the bottom of the work, which likely represents Adam (and all of humanity) and the pictures [...]
The depths of our Father’s love
March 12, 2010The 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 fortune; his deep humiliation at finding himself [...]
The Parable of the Lost Son
March 11, 2010And 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, 2010In 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, 2010In 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 [...]
One more reason to visit the Saint Paul Cathedral
February 12, 2010A 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 [...]
An Iconostasis
December 28, 2009These 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 [...]
Patron of Artists
December 27, 2009According 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 [...]
The Prophet Jeremiah
December 14, 2009In 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 [...]
Matt Brounstein
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