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Here are some images of unfinished work. Paintings tend to begin with quite loose paintwork and develop more clarity as work progresses. When a piece is deemed 'finished' it is often a judgement as to the balancing of vigour and movement - loose paint - and definition and clarity - careful paint.

There is also an extract from a recent press article on religious imagery which I think makes interesting reading...

Comments on work are always welcome.

Angels at the Tomb

oil paint on wood panel
16 1/2 x 12 1/2"
Source image: School of Novgorod, 16th Century

This painting is now complete and is shown in the category 'Life of Christ'

Crucifixion

oil paint on wood panel
18 3/4 x 16 3/4"
Source image: painting of the School of Moscow, early 16th Century

This painting is now complete and is shown in the category 'Crucifixion'

The Virgin and Child Enthroned with Two Angels

oil paint on wood panel
32 1/2 x 26 1/4"
Source image: small panel painting by Cimabue, c.1265-80, Italy

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Vatican paper backs art depicting Mary nursing Jesus

An interesting article recently appeared in The Catholic Herald entitled “Vatican paper backs art depicting Mary nursing Jesus”. Here are a few extracts from the article:

"The official newspaper of the Holy See has declared it is time to undo four centuries of disapproval of traditional representations of Mary as an earthy, fleshy mother doting on her newborn son.

The last edition of L'Osservatore Romano ran two articles by respected art critics who said that for nearly 1,500 years the Madonna was portrayed partly clothed and openly nursing the Christ Child.

In a move commentators will see as an attempt to reverse the course of history the hugely influential newspaper has called for the "artistic and spiritual rehabilitation" of "loving and tender" images of Mary breast-feeding.

One article, written by Italian Church historian Lucetta Scaraffia, claimed that a vast iconography of Christian art had been "censored by the modern age" because images depicting Our Lady's naked breast for her child were deemed too "unseemly".

But Miss Scaraffia argued that later depictions had also diminished the Madonna's human side "that touches the hearts and faith of the devout".

Miss Scaraffia said that when the early Christian artists represented the Virgin breastfeeding they had sought to reveal the reality of God's incarnation.

She said that Mary nursing her child is "an image so concrete and loving" it recalls her giving herself completely to her son as he gave himself completely for others with his death and Resurrection. "Jesus was a baby like all others," she added. "His divinity does not exclude his humanity."

A piece written by Fr Enrico dal Covolo, a professor of classic and Christian literature in Rome, said: "The Virgin Mary who nurses her son Jesus is one of the most eloquent signs that the word of God truly and undoubtedly became flesh."

Images of a semi-nude Mary can be traced back to early Christian times and were popular during the Renaissance period of the Middle Ages. But they came to an abrupt end around the 16th or 17th century with the emergence of Calvinism and other hard-line Protestant faiths that viewed representations of sexuality as essentially sinful.

Such ideas were resisted by Rome but accepted by Catholics particularly in France, Ireland and northern Europe.

The result is that very few, if any, Catholic churches or newspapers will dare to show such imagery even today."

From ‘The Catholic Herald’, 16th September 2008, reporting an article from ‘L'Osservatore Romano’ of 27 June 2008

Artists take note...