Shadow of Death - William Holman Hunt

Shadow of Death

by William Holman Hunt (1827-1910)
I think the different themes are fascinating.

If you're not familiar with this painting, read this Wikipedia squib. I don't think they catch all of the symbolism, but it has some interest tidbits.

Young Girl Knitting - William Bouguereau 1825-1905

Two Paintings - by Lacy

Here are two amazing paintings by a friend.
Lacy is a wonderfully talented artist (as you can see for yourself)!
I love the flower textures in both paintings.

Thanks for looking,
Miss Pickwickian

Portrait of a Lady - Philip de Laszlo (1869-1937)

Tall Ship Painting - Patricia Gilmore

I love ships and waves. :-)

The Apostle Paul - Rembrandt (1606-1669)

Scenes from the Life of Esther

Queen Esther

by Andrea del Castagno (1421-1457)

The Feast of Esther

by Frans Francken II (1581-1642)

Esther before Ahasuerus
by Claude Vignon (1593-1670)

Haman Begging Esther of Mercy
by Rembrandt (1606-1669)

The Banquet of Esther

by Jan Victors (1619-1676)

Festival of Esther

by Edward Armitage (1817-1896)

Esther
by Sir John Everett Millais (1829-1896)

Esther
by Minerva Teichert (1888-1976)

Sydney Carton - Polka Dot and Mama :-)

The spare hand does not tremble as he releases it; nothing worse than a sweet, bright constancy is in the patient face. She goes next before him--is gone; the knitting women count Twenty-Two.

"I am the Resurrection and the Life, saith the Lord: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die."
The murmuring of many voices, the upturning of many faces, the pressing on of many footsteps in the outskirts of the crowd, so that it swells forward in a mass, like one great heave of water, all flashes away.
Twenty three.

They said of him, about the city that night, that it was the peacefullest man's face ever beheld there. Many added that he looked sublime and prophetic....

"...It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known."

~ From A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

Yes! My sister drew this and my mother water colored it! And it was for me! For Christmas!!!!! I love it so much.

I had a wonderful Christmas (and not just because I got this amazing picture:-). I hope you did too!

Thanks for reading,
Miss Pickwickian

This Little Babe - Robert Southwell.

"Adoration of the Shepherds"

Anton Raphael Mengs (1728-1779

This little Babe so few days old,

Is come to rifle Satan's fold;

All hell doth at his presence quake,

Though he himself for cold do shake;

For in this weak unarmed wise

The gates of hell he will surprise.

With tears he fights and wins the field,

His naked breast stands for a shield;

His battering shot are babish cries,

His arrows made of weeping eyes,

His martial ensigns cold and need,

And feeble flesh his warrior's steed.

His camp is pitched in a stall,

His bulwark but a broken wall;

The crib his trench, haystalks his stakes,

Of shepherds he his muster makes;

And thus as sure his foe to wound,

The Angels' trumps alarum sound.

My soul with Christ join thou in fight,

Stick to the tents that he hath pight;

Within his crib is surest ward,

This little Babe will be thy guard;

If thou wilt foil thy foes with joy,

Then flit not from this heavenly boy.

-Robert Southwell

"If thou wilt foil thy foes with joy"... Love that.

I really like a lot of Christmas songs, but this is my favorite. :-)

Hope you are all are having an amazing Christmas. I am. :-)

Thanks for reading,

Miss Pickwickian

For the pillars of the earth are the LORD's...and on them he has set the world.

"Hannah presenting her son Samuel to the priest Eli"

Gerbrand van den Eeckhout (1621-1674)

My heart exults in the Lord;

my strength is exalted in the Lord.

My mouth derides my enemies,

because I rejoice in your salvation.

There is none holy like the LORD;

there is none besides you;

there is no rock like our God.

Talk no more so very proudly,

let not arrogance come from your mouth;

for the LORD is a God of knowledge,

and by him actions are weighed.

The bows of the might are broken,

but the feeble bind on strength.

Those who were full have hired themselves for bread,

but those who were hungry have ceased to hunger.

The barren has borne seven,

but she who has many children is forlorn.

The LORD kills and brings to life;

he brings down to Sheol and raises up.

The LORD makes poor and makes rich;

he brings low and he exalts.

He raises up the poor from the dust;

he lifts the needy from the ash heap

to make them sit with princes

and inherit a seat of honor.

For the pillars of the earth are the LORD's,

and on them he has set the world.

He will guard the feet of his faithful ones,

but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness,

for not by might shall a man prevail.

The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces;

against them he will thunder in heaven.

The LORD will judge the ends of the earth;

he will give strength to his king

and exalt the power of his anointed.

~1 Samuel 2:1b-10~

The Mayflower - Mike Haywood

I love paintings with lots of water and waves...

Christ in the Storm on the Lake of Galilee - Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn

The Philosopher in Meditation - Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn

The Kiss of Judas - Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio

This painting is also known as The Taking of Christ.

The Grape Picker - William Bouguereau

Deposition from the Cross - Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio

It's been to long with out a Caravaggio....

Painting....

Modern Mediocrity in Christian Art

The arts (music, literature, and visual) are all amazing gifts from God.

We are made in His image.
We are made to create.


In history art has been largely dominated by believers. And that is certainly the way it should be.
Who are the Christian giants today?

I don't want to bash anyone, but it certainly seems like Christians have settled for mediocrity.

Christians should be setting the pace in art - plowing a head - showing an example to the world. Today we seem to either be following the non-Christians and becoming utterly indistinguishable or separating ourselves into whole different genres of rather mediocre fuzzy-feeling comfort art.

We, as Christians, can show truth through art.


Another attitude that I do not believe honors God (and I am sure it turns unbelievers off) is our refusal to recognize talent and hard work by non-Christians.
An unbeliever can be an amazing violinist or an outstanding painter, and we can enjoy his work. Yes, we need to be careful because a lot of non-Christian art has very non-Christian themes. That does not mean music, art, or writing is evil because it was created by a unsaved person. The truth will be known in everything. Often a non-Christian can not help showing the story no matter how hard they try to stay away from it.

We can not say..."such and such a persons creations are evil because he is a non-Christian". If they are evil, there should be a much better basis for arguing that point and you should use it. God uses sinners to create beauty. Every man on earth has his purpose. No matter how they may try to run from the Truth and from their Maker, they will be used to glorify Him.

We should recognize talent, non-Christian or Christian.
And
Christianity should be producing the most and the best musicians, artists, and writers.


I feel like these thoughts are incomplete, but I really wanted to write something on the subject. It is time for Christianity to reconquer the arts!

Thanks for reading,
Miss Pickwickian

The Return of the Prodigal Son
Rembrandt

New Born Lamb - William Bouguereau

Stitching the Standard - Edmund Blair Leighton