CARAVAGGIO’S BEHEADING OF ST JOHN THE BAPTIST
August 23rd 2025
“The Beheading of St John”, (detail), 1608, Caravaggio, Cathedral of St John, Valetta, Malta. This painting (3.7m X 5.2m) was the largest altarpiece that Caravaggio ever painted. It still hangs in situ in the Oratory of the Co-Cathedral of St
MURILLO’S FLOWER GIRL
August 16th 2025
“The Flower Girl”, Bartolomé Esteban Murillo (1665-1670), Dulwich Picture Gallery, London. The Sevillian artist, Murillo, often painted street urchins and children. This painting of a girl selling flowers is often seen as typical of his such works. Murillo shows a
Caravaggio’s Death of the Virgin
August 9th 2025
“Death of the Virgin”, 1601- 1605/06, Caravaggio, Louvre, Paris. The Virgin is surrounded by the Apostles and Mary Magdalene. Caravaggio is following the tradition that the apostles who had been dispersed to preach the gospel were miraculously transported to her
St Dominic in The Rosary Chapel at Vence
August 2nd 2025
“St Dominic”, Rosary Chapel, Vence, Henri Matisse, 1947-1951. I came across this image of St Dominic on the day I was given the Dominican habit. Fr Fergus clothed me and he mentioned it in his homily. This line drawing of
CARAVAGGIO’S RAISING OF LAZARUS
July 26th 2025
“The Raising of Lazarus”, Caravaggio, 1609, Museo Regionale, Messina Sicily. On Tuesday, we celebrate the feast of the sibling saints Martha, Mary and Lazarus. The gospel for their feast day is John 11:19 -27, in which Martha professes faith in
Bassani’s Good Samaritan
July 6th 2025
“The Good Samaritan”, Jacobo Bassano, 1562-3, National Gallery London. In this picture the Good Samaritan encounters the man who fell among robbers on a road which descends steeply to Jericho. Further along the road, we can see both a Temple
Caravaggio’s “Doubting Thomas”
June 28th 2025
“Doubting Thomas”, c.1601/02, Caravaggio, Bildergalerie, Schloss Sanssouci, Potsdam, Germany. This image is notable for the intense focus on the wound in the side of the Risen Christ. All four figures stare intently at the finger as it penetrates
Mass in a Connemara Cabin, Aloyius O’Kelly
June 21st 2025
“Mass in a Connemara Cabin”, Aloysius O’Kelly, 1883, National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin. A young priest gives the final blessing at a Station Mass. His vestments are white and there is a picture of the Sacred Heart in the background,
Cover Panels from Edinburgh’s Trinity Altarpiece
June 13th 2025
Cover Panels from “The Trinity Altarpiece”, Hugo van der Goes, 1478-9, National Galleries of Scotland. One way to get people to think about the doctrine of the Trinity is to ask them to draw God. When asked to draw God,
GIOTTO”S PENTECOST AT THE CAPELLA SCROVEGNI IN PADUA
June 6th 2025
“Pentecost”, Giotto di Bondone, 1305, Capella Scrovegni, Padua. Giotto frescoed the walls of the Scrovegni Chapel in Padua with 38 scenes drawn from the life of Christ, the Virgin, and her parents, Joachim and Anna. He arranged them in chronological
