So often in the life of a church artist, the liturgical calendar gets reversed, that is, we often find ourselves working on images of the passion during Advent and then painting a Nativity image during lent. And so it was with the first commission for the Saint Rita Shrine. The Christ of Holy Saturday, a Northern Italian image of the resurgent Christ yet in the tomb between between death and resurrection was modeled all through the fall and Advent of 1999.
There was a point in time when this image was more prevalent than the crucifix in Italian devotional art. It is believed that Saint Rita received her stigmata in front of this very image of Christ. So important was it in the Saint's life that we find it painted on her coffin lid.
The modeling was done from a single drawing I had done in charcoal on prepared paper. I considered the flatness of the image and decided to put no or as little perspective as possible in the relief. This was to suspend the moment as in the Eastern Orthodox icon on which the image finds its basis. Here it is shown while still in the clay stage of modeling before a mold was made. I then cast it in plaster for finishing before the mold for bronze was made.
3 comments:
Tony, What a great posting. The image of Christ on Holy Sat. is one that has particular meaning for me. It represents in my spiritual life the total abyss of the tomb, and how on Easter, Jesus burst forth in glorified life and shattered the emptyness and darkness of the tomb.
Most especially it reminds me that we are indeed a Paschal Mystery people...called to new life in God the Father, the SOn and the Spirit. In an age that seemingly surrounds us with items of emptyness, Christ in the Tomb really manifests the glory of God that we are all called to participate.
The image is one of expectant hope that becomes apparent in the Easter rising. Beautiful image for all believers on the way to the Easter season.
Tony, What a great posting. The image of Christ on Holy Sat. is one that has particular meaning for me. It represents in my spiritual life the total abyss of the tomb, and how on Easter, Jesus burst forth in glorified life and shattered the emptyness and darkness of the tomb.
Most especially it reminds me that we are indeed a Paschal Mystery people...called to new life in God the Father, the SOn and the Spirit. In an age that seemingly surrounds us with items of emptyness, Christ in the Tomb really manifests the glory of God that we are all called to participate.
The image is one of expectant hope that becomes apparent in the Easter rising. Beautiful image for all believers on the way to the Easter season.
This is great info to know.
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