Matisse’s St Dominic at Vence
August 1st 2020
It fell to Fr Fergus to clothe me in the Dominican habit. It was 5th October 1992. There were two of us. I remember that he preached a very fine homily. He said what we were called to do was
CARAVAGGIO’S RAISING OF LAZARUS
July 25th 2020
On Wednesday, we celebrate the feast day of St Martha, who was the sister of Lazarus. The gospel for her feast day is John 11:19 -27, in which she professes faith in Jesus, before he raises Lazarus from the dead.
Bruegel’s Landscape with the Parable of the Sower
July 11th 2020
Imagine yourself coming over the brow of a hill, or emerging from the edge of a wood, and seeing this view before you. Perhaps the first thing you will notice is the man sowing seed just below you on the
Crivelli’s Saints Peter and Paul
June 27th 2020
“Saints Peter and Paul”, Carlo Crivelli, c.1470, National Gallery London. Saint Peter is on the right with his keys and Saint Paul is on the left with a sword. As was the established practice, Saint Peter is shown as
Caravaggio’s Supper at Emmaus II
June 20th 2020
This version of “The supper at Emmaus” was painted in the summer of 1606. Let’s compare it with the one he painted in 1601 for Cardinal Ciriaco Mattei which is now in the National Gallery in London (see below, opposite).
Caravaggio’s Supper at Emmaus I
June 13th 2020
The familiar story of the road to Emmaus, from Luke’s Gospel, concludes, “Then they told what happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread” (Lk 24:35). His work echoes several earlier
PAINTING THE TRINITY
June 6th 2020
In this image, gold leaf is overlaid with pigments of red, green and white. The red is that of the Christ’s blood which flows from his wounds. The green is that of the crown of thorns. The white is that
Giotto on Pentecost
May 30th 2020
This little painting from London’s National Gallery (45.5cm X 44cm) is full of surprises. Pentecost is described in the Acts of the Apostles. Chapter 1 of Acts says that after the Ascension, the Apostles went back to the upper room
PAINTING THE ASCENSION: REMBRANDT
May 23rd 2020
How can you paint the Ascension? Artists have struggled. Sometimes you see just his Christ’s feet with the disciples below, as in Dürer’s “Little Passion”. Another example is the scene at the top of “The Cloisters Cross” c.1100 and believed
Rembrandt’s Titus, The Artist’s Son
May 16th 2020
“Titus, the artist’s son” , Rembrandt, c. 1657, Wallace Collection, London. You can view this paining in high resolution on the Wallace Collection website, www.wallacecollection.org When asked recently what my favourite portrait was, I could answer without hesitation. It this
