Angelus News | February 24, 2023 | Vol. 8 No. 4

Doney MacManus has jump-started
a new iconography of St. Joseph in
sculpture, while Henry Wingate’s
crystalline images offer clarity and
intelligibility to his representations of
the sacred, the most exalted qualities in
post-Tridentine art.
Beyond institutional works, meant
to adorn private
altars or make a
show of generosity
for a beloved
church, the great
patrons of the
past found space
in their domestic
settings for beautiful
art as well.
Modern museums
are filled
with portraits of
Father Richard Baker and
Archbishop Diarmuid
Martin look on as artist
Doney MacManus points
to a statue he created of
Archbishop Fulton Sheen
during a 2015 ceremony
in Dublin. | OSV NEWS /
JOHN MC ELROY
saints, which were intended to grace
the walls of a bedroom, study, or living
room like a beloved family member.
The principal art form in most homes
is photography — framed pictures
of oneself alongside one’s family and
friends. While that certainly has a
place, great patrons of the past balanced
their own images with those of
people already participating in eternity.
They chose to display their name saints
A painting of Jesus by
artist Janet McKenzie. |
OSV NEWS VIA NATION-
AL CATHOLIC REPORTER
or subjects of particular
devotion,
including Sts.
Jerome, Agnes,
Francis, and
Cecilia. Given
that we have many new saints today,
there are even more opportunities to
fill homes with heavenly trailblazers.
Gwyneth Thompson-Briggs specializes
in bringing these holy figures to
life, employing meaningful details to
encourage deeper contemplation. Neilson
Carlin produces images of saints
modern and ancient, using a crisp
style and jeweled colors reminiscent of
stained glass.
On the other side of the Atlantic, the
prolific Raul Bersoza from Malaga,
Spain, has a stunning body of work
centered on images of saints with
visual richness that evokes brocaded
altar cloths and gem-studded chalices,
that accentuate the limpid purity of his
holy faces.
Icons, meant for prayer and catechesis,
are making a comeback in
our era of biblical illiteracy. Shining
beacons of truth, they are a solid bridge
into the world of art, employing beautiful
materials, clean, clear lines and, for
a world that loves puzzles, symbols to
be decoded. The iconographer merely
serves as a medium between the mes-
sage and the viewer.
Constantin Brancusi, a modern
sculptor who grew up steeped in that
visual culture, once said, “Look at
things until you really see them. Those
who sit close to God have already done
so,” summing up the treasure that is
the icon.
The American Association of Iconographers
is a good source to begin to
explore this most ancient of Christian
arts.
When thinking of art for the home,
still life or landscapes often seem like
the best way to cover empty space.
Even these “innocuous” works could
be leavened with a sacred sense. John
Folley’s still lifes with glittering fish
scales, glistening grapes, and burnished
plates evoke the Eucharist for those
with eyes to see. Closer to the spirit
of Northern Vanitas are the works of
French painter Anne de Saint-Victor.
Parisian-born Rome denizen Philippe
Casanova creates interiors of Baroque
churches. His rapid brushstroke,
descended from the Impressionists,
conveys the energy of space with light
reflecting off the gilt and stucco.
Images of the Holy Family are
another lovely choice for the home
— as Florentines once hung “tondi”
(“round”), platter-shaped paintings
of Mary, Jesus, and John the Baptist
February 24, 2023 • ANGELUS • 23