Trinitarian Artist
Raphael is the most Trinitarian artist:
Walking into the Raphael rooms of the Vatican is unlike any "experience" of art: the social and political context of the Church, the majesty of the piece, and excellence of the artist are unified in the rooms. The question of Christian art is popular today, but it seems to be based upon poor assumptions of what it means to be "Christian art."
Many people have attempted to decipher what it means to be a Christian artist by the authenticity of their faith. Could this assumption -- seemingly from American fundamentalism -- be incorrect? Is there another concept that we must look to, other than whether the work includes Eucharistic hymns?
So, may I suggest one criterion: does the work of art communicate the Trinity?
JDT
The Disputa
The School of Athens
The Parnassus
The Cardinal Virtues
Walking into the Raphael rooms of the Vatican is unlike any "experience" of art: the social and political context of the Church, the majesty of the piece, and excellence of the artist are unified in the rooms. The question of Christian art is popular today, but it seems to be based upon poor assumptions of what it means to be "Christian art."
Many people have attempted to decipher what it means to be a Christian artist by the authenticity of their faith. Could this assumption -- seemingly from American fundamentalism -- be incorrect? Is there another concept that we must look to, other than whether the work includes Eucharistic hymns?
So, may I suggest one criterion: does the work of art communicate the Trinity?
JDT
posted by Jonathan D. Teubner at 2:30 PM
3 Comments:
"Could this assumption -- seemingly from American fundamentalism -- be incorrect?"
No! Not possible!!!
Welcome to the blogosphere.
If the authenticity of the artist's faith is indeed what determines the "Christian-ness" of a piece of art, perhaps the Fundamentalists need to burn those works by the "Painter of Light". Granted, this story was first printed in the LA Times, and we certianly cannot believe that ultra-leftist pack of Pinko lies.
Though not nearly so glamorous as the Raphael rooms, at my insistence my mother, sister, and I visited the Cathedral Santuario de Guadalupe while in Dallas this past week. Since I was a child, I have always been drawn to the lofty ceilings, the prismatic windows, the ornaments of cathedrals, but my parents have never understood this. After this particular visit, my mother commented how she saw the security ropes (preventing visitors from touching the altar table and the proskomide) reflected the way in which Catholicism preserves barriers between believers and Christ. To her, the entire cathedral was the cathedral was too formal, distant, inaccessable to worshipers.
I, however, felt humbled as I stood in the middle of that expansive chapel; the grandiose scale of the architecture and artwork were to me a reminder of the greatness and majesty of God, and how there is so much more of importance than just myself. It seems we as Christians (and I include myself here) are unable to maintain the tenuous balance that must exist between individual importance and individual insignificance in relation to Christ. How to do this, however, I do not know.
I think your blog needs a little more personal content. For example, I was walking to class today and I tripped on the curb and bruised my chin. It is that kind of insight into your life that really brings the readers back day after day.
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