Book Description

Understanding Early Christian Art offers an insightful, erudite and lavishly illustrated analysis of the meaning and message of early Christianity as revealed in the texts and images of its first practitioners. Robin Margaret Jensen examines the motifs and subjects of early Christian art, integrating them with the symbols and themes of Christian literature and liturgy. Beginning with an analysis of the non-narrative subjects of the early art--the Good Shepherd, the praying figure, fish and birds--Jensen goes on to explore the narrative images found in Roman catacomb painting, sarcophagus relief sculpture, early mosaics, ivories, and manuscript illumination. Finally, the book examines iconographic themes such as Jonah, Daniel, Abraham offering Isaac, and Adam and Eve. ... Read more

Book Description

Throughout the Middle Ages, sacred Christian art had two objectives: to express veneration for God and to provide illustrative lessons on the Christian faith to a largely illiterate population. Continuing in the spirit of the other books in this series, Old Testament Figures in Art compiles entries on key figures and events in the Old Testament, beginning with the Pentateuch, then drawing from the historical books, the books of wisdom and poetry, and, finally, the prophetic books. The vivid illustrations depict Old Testament scenes that occur most frequently as iconographic prototypes in Western art. Among the masterpieces featured are The Entry of the Animals into Noah's Ark by Jan Brueghel the Elder, The Sacrifice of Isaacby Rembrandt, Samson and Delilah by Peter Paul Rubens, Jacob Wrestling with the Angel by Paul Gauguin, and Isaac Receiving Rebekah as His Wife by Marc Chagall. The accompanying texts illuminate the unique ways in which Old Testament subjects have been portrayed in Western art throughout the ages. To complement the many scriptural references, this handy volume also offers comparisons with other cultures whose stories or myths parallel those represented in the book. ... Read more

Book Description

"Sphinxes are legion in Egypt-what is so special about this one? .. . We shall take a stroll around the monument itself, scrutinizing its specialfeatures and analyzing the changes it experienced throughout its history. Theevidence linked to the statue will enable us to trace its evolution . . . downto the worship it received in the first centuries of our own era, whenEgyptians, Greeks, and Romans mingled together in devotion to this colossus,illustrious witness to a past that was already more than two millennia old."- from the Introduction

The Great Sphinx of Giza is one of the few monuments from ancient Egypt familiarto nearly everyone. In a land where the colossal is part of the landscape, itstill stands out, the largest known statue in Egypt. Originally constructed asthe image of King Chephren, builder of the second of the Great Pyramids, theSphinx later acquired new fame in the guise of the sun god Harmakhis. Majorconstruction efforts in the New Kingdom and Roman Period transformed themonument and its environs into an impressive place of pilgrimage, visited untilthe end of pagan antiquity.

Christiane Zivie-Coche, a distinguished Egyptologist, surveys the long historyof the Great Sphinx, and discusses its original appearance, its functions andreligious significance, its relation to the many other Egyptian sphinxes, andthe various discoveries connected with it. From votive objects deposited by thefaithful and inscriptions that testify to details of worship, she reconstructsthe cult of Harmakhis (in Egyptian, Har-em-akhet, or "Horus-in-the-horizon"),which arose around the monument in the second millennium. "We are faced," shewrites, "with a religious phenomenon that is entirely original, though notunique: a theological reinterpretation turned an existing statue into the imageof the god who had been invented on its basis."

The coming of Christianity ended the Great Sphinx's religious role. The ever- present sand buried it, thus sparing it the fate that overtook the nearbypyramids, which were stripped of their stone by medieval builders. The monumentremained untouched, covered by its desert blanket, until the first excavations.Zivie-Coche details the archaeological activity aimed at clearing the Sphinxand, later, at preserving it from the corrosive effects of a rising water table. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Painting the Word: Christian Pictures and their Meanings by John Drury, an Anglican priest who is dean of Christ Church, Oxford, is a wise, accessible, elegant, and beautiful book about Christian art. Painting the Word presents dazzling color reproductions of masterpieces by Rembrandt, Raphael, Rubens, Velázquez, Piero della Francesca, Cézanne, and others, accompanied by a text that does not merely analyze and explain these pictures but also meditates upon them, and even encourages readers to inhabit them. Drury's introduction explains his project: "This is a book about how Christian paintings convey their messages. It takes on whole paintings. It is not content with just picking symbols out of them for identification. Composition, color, contents (including architecture and landscape as well as figures) and the ways in which the paint itself is handled--all are treated as part and parcel of their religious meanings." Drury justifies his critical approach by pointing out that these pictures come from a time when western civilization and Christianity were coterminous. Contemporary spectators are visitors to this foreign world. However, Drury expertly draws us into this world in light, straightforward language. (Many of the chapters in this book began as sermons.) "Worship and looking at pictures require the same kind of attention," Drury explains, "a mixture of curiosity with a relaxed readiness to let things suggest themselves in their own good time." Put this way, paying attention becomes a calling. And as Drury describes this calling, it is hard to imagine a higher one. --Michael Joseph Gross ... Read more

Reviews (4)

sharing an artists vision
John Drury is an art historian who uses his vocation as a priest to explain the subtlety of meaning that lies hidden in the symbolism of religious paintings in London's National Gallery.

Anyone how has looked at such a painting but not "seen" it, would do well to read this wonderful book and share the insights that the author offers. Paintings that I would have passed by with scarcely a second glance, are revealed within a context of their time, with reference to their history, the world view of the artist, the common and uncommon symbolism employed and much else besides.

It gives the possibility of sharing a visual language that we have lost and enables us to understand what it is about a picture that we sense is great, without comprehending why that might be.

It is hard to think that anyone who has ever visited an art gallery could not profit from reading this book and has certainly given me the enthusiasm to go and look at the pictures for myself.

A truly outstanding guide to Christian paintings
Painting The Word is a truly outstanding guide to Christian paintings and their meanings brings art and spirituality together in an inspiring coverage. More than a history of painting, this discusses how Christian images reflected and influenced Christian civilization as a whole, with a universal quality delivering balanced messages. Color reproductions of significant Christian works appear throughout.

Beautiful Book to Ponder Painters View of Scripture
This is an absolutely exquisite book, with highgloss paper and wonderful color reproductions of marvelous paintings.

To this, Drury offers his expert commentary on how one might look at these paintings to see the painter's perspective on the Christian faith.

One will learn much about looking at paintings, and will never casually observe a painting again. I especially have grown fond of two paintings that this marvelous book acquainted me with, Titian's "Vendramin Family" and Lippi's "The Annunciation." Drury's comments here are very useful.

I would like to give this five stars, but withheld this because of my disagreement theologically with Drury. His theology is far too liberal for me, and I'm afraid that he will sway many who will trust his opinion of Divine Scripture as "the gospel truth, or historical critical truth."

A book to consider to turn to to aid one in viewing Christian painting.

Recommended for students of art and Christian imagery.
This survey of links between Christian worship and paintings provides a fine analysis of how Christian paintings convey their messages. Plenty of examples from Christian paintings from all eras accompany insights which began with the dean author's sermons on the topic. The result will interest any concerned with Christian images. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

One of the best introductions to the subject
Having had the chance to listen to Robin Cormack speak, and always having had an interest in Byzantine art, I look forward to reading this. I was not disappointed in the least. As Cormack rightly points out both in his introduction and his bibliographic essay, the art of Byzantium is presented either in an homongenous manner, linking all stylistic periods and developments into a monolithic, unchanging facade, or as a realm only the specialist would be willing to engage in. Cormack deftly navigates through the subject in such a manner that is both introductary as well as substantial enough for those already familiar with the subject. Where controverserial arguments are needed, Cormack enthusiastically dives in; where basic explanation is necessary, Cormack elucidates without dumbing-down; where a style of writing is called for to atmospherically render the majesty of the art, Cormack's writing never fails.

For those of us teaching art history classes, finding a textbook devoted to Byzantine art is especially difficult. We now have the classic that will be more than sufficient for years to come. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

EXCELLENT
I am 105% pleased with the service. The book arrived in excellent condition and within a very short period of time.
Thanks a million

It helped during a low period of my life.
Mr. Hughes' book is a big help to get closer to God. It allowed me to taylor the daily readings to my needs. It challenged me and helped me to find peace in my life. It gave me a greater understanding of God's word. I can not wait to find more of Mr. Hughes' books.

Insightful, deep devotional study guide.
An excellent devotional with scriptural support that makes one think. Much deeper than the average meditation guide. Index of themes is also most helpful. Highly recommend to those in pursuit of a closer walk with God. (Each devotional takes around 15 minutes.)

Very inspiring.
Every Day Light is inspiring and it gives the reader a opportunity to study the Bible. This devotional not only gives commentary but challenges the reader to give their input about the overall theme.

The beautides study was most helpful. Mr. Hughes presented provoking thoughts on this topic.

I will be looking forward to the next edition. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Holy Bible, designed and illustrated by Barry Moser, is as thrilling an experience as you'll ever find inside a dust jacket. Moser, the foremost fine press illustrator of our time, spent four years crafting the 232 relief engravings that illustrate this Bible. Printed in a deluxe limited edition by the Pennyroyal Caxton Press, Moser's Bible is also available in a reasonably-priced Viking Studio edition on acid-free paper, with a satin ribbon marker, specially-sewn binding, and cloth case. These details give the book, as a physical object, a weight and presence that dignifies its reader. It is no overstatement to say that when you begin turning the pages revelation occurs. Even from the first illustration--Adam and Eve, with unapologetically adult bodies, breathtakingly chunky and imperfect, making their way along a stream in the Garden of Eden--it's clear that Moser has a vision of God and humanity whose humility will change the way you see the world.

There are so many surprises here: Abram is jaunty (a surprise at first, but one would have to be to say "Here I Am."); Balaam's Ass stretches his mouth wide, teeth bared, conveying the comic terror of the idea that God would speak through his creatures; "Jesus Rabonni," Moser's first illustration of the Savior, depicts Jesus as such a goofy, joyful, solid man that your heart will leap, wanting to be with him. And in some measure, Moser's Bible will bring everyone who touches it a little closer to that rabbi. --Michael Joseph Gross ... Read more

Reviews (35)

Put Your Specific Faith Or Lack Thereof Aside For A Moment
I am fortunate in that Mr. Moser was a teacher of mine in high school. If he kept track I was also probably his worst calligraphy student. I could not draw a vertical line, so he literally held my hand, and then his guiding hand produced magic. Unfortunately for me, I was, like some teenagers equipped with an organ more akin to a gland than a brain. You cannot review this book. One can comment on whether The King's James Version is or is not enjoyable or the language too dated to push through. This is about the illustrations for each of the collection of books that is The Bible. Try to put aside as best you can the secular nature of the story, forget the words, and look at the images. These works are in black and white, and now that I have seen them I do not believe they can be effectively portrayed any other way. Color can be distracting, color can be inappropriate. In Steven Spielberg's Movie, "Schindler's List" would red blood spreading on white snow have been more or less dramatic? How about the same movie in color? It would not have been the same movie. These images while beautifully composed, and incredibly detailed, accomplish making there point or points with as much impact as a visual experience can be with a simple palette of color, or perhaps better described as contrast. When you see Job you see suffering that is unimaginable, and knowledge of the story, or the fact that it is a Christian story, to me, is missing the point and not recognizing what Mr. Moser has accomplished. Knowing the suffering comes from loyalty does make it even more powerful that this man endures this for something he believes. Any religion can have this loyalty. Knowing a bit of the story makes the image more dramatic, if that's possible. You want pure Human evil, and the horror it creates? Look at the crucifixion series. This shows what it must have been like to suffer such a deranged man-made form of torture and murder. And it is not because Mr. Moser shows you hammers, nails, and blood, that's the easy way out. He shows you enough to trigger the horror within you. To understand what man is capable of doing to his own. It does not matter what sort of building you worship in, or whether you worship at all. You cannot view these images without being affected. These people that he has rendered are the people you see every day. These are not the The Medici's idealized gigantic frescoes, not an altar piece approved by a committee and rendered by Carravagio (I Love Carravagio) on hundreds of square feet of space that will make an impression if only for their size. Some of these illustrations are quite small, they force you to get close, and the size has nothing to do with what they are able to communicate. We are the only Species that tortures it's own. It's a fact, it's sad, and it raises some disturbing questions. But look at these pictures, "read" them. A grieving Mother can be a Catholic, Protestant, Jew, Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Cherokee, or Zulu. They are the same in their grief. If Mr. Moser could teach Humanity to all "Humans" with his images, then we would be worthy of the world we then would have. Mr. Moser, a sincere thanks.

More Timely Than Timeless - Dore or Moser
What book would be better to illustrate in a luxurious volume at the millenium than the Holy Bible itself? Barry Moser, illustrator, took upon a monumental project of illustrating fully the entire text of the Bible. Of course one must realize that not every sentence can have an illustration. The presentation of the trade edition of the Pennroyal Caxton Edition is quite impressive - clothbound with nice pages. Its certainly a unique item unto itself as there are no paragraph numbers which seems to be standard in the King James Bible, however, the typesetting is elegant and attractive. Overall I think Moser did a great job in the whole presentation of this work, and must be happy with the completed product on the printed page.

I would also like to point out that Moser completed what only one other person did over a hundred years ago: Gustav Dore. Dore, among his many other works, created engravings for just about every book in the Bible. Moser, like Dore did virtually just that. I thought it would be appropriate to give a comparison of the two works. This being strictly an artistic critique; as for the Bible I feel that it would be silly to critique the text itself for that is not really the purpose of this Bible, otherwise I would not spend 30-65 dollars on a Bible. Furthermore, although the text is not the issue at hand, I would like to comment that I prefer the full text edition with the engravings as opposed to just the drawings themselves. The Dore edition that I am commenting on is printed by First Glance Books (ISBN - 1885440332), this being the only edition I am aware of that is has full Biblical texts as well as the engravings. There is a Dover edition that is available with just the engravings.

Comparing the two one can see Dore's immediate majesty and beauty in his works. The lines are delicate while the whole picture tells more than just a scene, but a story. His compostion is almost perfect while the action of his characters are outstanding in a powerful God-like pose, much mor powerful looking. Moser on the other hand I feel has a more heavy handed look than Dore. Dore's pictures, they all take up the whole page, while Moser has small inserts in between his full page illustrations. As someone commented earlier, Moser's work is dark, which I beleived is attributed to the heavy hand, that is the lines are much bolder and thicker in his work. Which I also found some of the work confusing to look at, for instance the Tower of Babel. I could not tell where it was or what I was seeing, although I specuate it was the base of the Tower, framed in a way to add dynamics through composition, which failed due to its darkeness and design. The main difference between the two is that Moser has a subject without a background, usually in some abstract space, while Dore encompasses the whole setting of Egypt, Jerusalem or Bethlahem. Flipping through the two books one will recognize that they both have chosen their own drawings. I dont know if Moser, probably being aware of Dore's version, decided against doing the same scenes, which in some cases were an added bonus, however I feel he missed some of the major highlights of the book. For instance Moser did not do Moses throwing down the tablets of the Ten Commandments, but just showed the tablets in this ethereal space with a few large letters on each tablet. I could also see that Moser used his artistic liscence on some of the drawings, for I would imagine that there is a 'set' idea of how things 'should' look in the Bible which Moser went ahead and drew his own vision, which I commend him for, while Dore went the more traditional route. Moser's characters are much more modern looking, usually in a photographic pose, as if they were staring at the camera while the artist said "cheese."

Overall, Moser's edition is much more pretty to look at and handle. More elegant and impressive. However, I feel that Dore's drawings surpass Moser in many aspects. I gave this book 4 stars due to its greatness, as I feel all the work Moser put into it is a mighty task that deserves recognition and commemoration. Its a feat that will not be challenged often. I definately reccomend this, either to the Bible lover, artists of every kind, book collector and those looking for a new Bible to put on their shelves.

WOW
I can't seem to put this book down. I'm consistently surprised by the images. They are all original pieces of art unlike tradional depictions of biblical events. They all have something unique about them. A perfect complement to the poetry of the King James version. This is the best book I own.

Pictures make for Dark and Dreary World
The pictures in this book are very dark in color. Also very dreary. Several pictures of dead bodies including the head of goliath, Saul's body nailed to a wall, Absalon hanging dead from a tree, the Death of Aaron, Hell and more. Also A picture of Paul after he was beaten, Isaiah and Adam and Eve naked, a picture of Balaam beating his ass, Aaron offering a sacrifice, Samson blinded and bound, Rahab the Harlot, Moses in his Sepulchre, ect. ect.

It was like Barry Moser only looked for all the gloom and doom of the bible and no hope. Yes lots of bad, evil things happened in the bible, but the bible if full of hope and joy and heaven too. This seemed to be missed in the illustrations. But the pictures are well done but very dark in color. Much more black in each picture then white. Not a good book for children. Also I wish they had broke up the paragraphs more. Reading with no paragraphs seems a little odd. But I like the fact they left out the verse numbers and I like the larger print. If I was to only look at the pictures without reading the story, I would get depressed. I love the fact they chose the King James Version to use.

Brilliant illustrations
Barry Moser is the kind of genius that staggers many of us. The power of his illustrations is astonishing, arising as it does from the relative simplicity of engravings. There are suggestions now and then of a Goya or Dore, say, but Moser's style is instantly recognizable as all his own. After years of being grateful that his brilliant Moby Dick illustrations left out human figues, I am equally grateful that he has put such individual faces on Biblical figures. As we know, a good artist can often best achieve the universal by giving us a detailed particular. ... Read more

Amazon.com

It's hard to say what's most important about The Message of St. Francis--St. Francis's words of wisdom; illustrations of scenes from his life; or the elegant, nearly indestructible paper it's printed on. Sister Nan, a member of the Community of St. Francis in London, has selected passages from St. Francis's writings and from his biographies, which are illustrated with photographs of Giotto's frescoes of St. Francis's life in the Basilica at Assisi.

The book would make a fine introduction to St. Francis for young people, an excellent devotional for adults, or a treasured gift for just about anyone who is serious about seeking wisdom and enjoying beauty in life. Many of the excerpts from St. Francis's writings included here will be familiar to readers who have even superficial knowledge of his life. Others, such as "A Signature in the Air," from Murray Bodo's The Journey and the Dream, have the power of fresh revelation. In this passage, St. Francis is watching little lizards running across the walls of the Basilica.

"It was their movement that fascinated him. Their motion was a pattern scribbled in the air which disappeared as soon as it was made. There was no permanence in these tiny signatures, no monument to themselves left behind. That is what he wanted to be: a tiny signature in the air that thrilled someone who saw it, but was as anonymous as a lizard's zigzagged darting on a pink Assisi wall. His movement would be his poem."

Reviews (1)

A Blessing
"It Was Good-Making Art to the Glory of God" brings forth many struggling topics and themes that Christian artists are challenged with. These essays are writing by some of the most important Christian artists today (i.e. Makoto Fujimura, Theodore Prescott, and Edward Knippers.) The book discusses issues looking at our fallen world with a realistic point of view. It teaches to face evil head on and to point towards the grace, the hope, and the glory, namely Jesus Christ. As God's children it explains our need for art in the church and in our communities. It also depicts the problems of Christian art, with topics such as GOOD, ("The efforts of most artists who attempt to present a picture of 'good' tend toward dishonest, sugary sweet propaganda. They ignore the implications of the fall and paint the world as a shiny, happy place." -Ned Bustard, "Good"), EVIL, and IDENTITY. It is hard being both Christian and artist. It seems no one understands you in the art world and no one understands you in the Christian world. This book praises our gifts of creativity and imaginations, in which we learn to integrate both our faith and art, and return these gifts to praise Our Father. "It Was Good..." should be essential to your book collection. I once had a discussion with a friend of how we can meditate on a single passage for hours. These essays have been so inspirational that I have spent some nights restless, because I could not wait until the next day to work on my own art. It is such a blessing to know, in this generation (so full of narcissistic and meaningless art,) that this book is out there to help other Christian artists. I personally feel doubly blessed because I am still an undergraduate in art school. I feel a great comfort to apply and develop these ideas into my own critiques. But this book goes way beyond the ordinary art school critique and grows toward my relationship with God and towards his people. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Beautiful angels and beautiful words
This lovely book is intended to comfort those who have suffered a loss, and it certainly does. Spiritual without being denominational, it offers hope and gentle wisdom through some comtemporary poetry and an assortment of lines from classic writers. The beautiful images of child angels are stunning and touching. A wonderful gift for angel lovers or for sad hearts.

A wonderful comfort for those who have suffered a loss
This is an excellent book to give or receive! The sub-title In the light of loss - gives insight to the beautiful poems and prayers contained inside. I found this book to be of great comfort and hope. The paintings by Nancy Noel are magnificant. ... Read more

Book Description

"Sacred gaze" denotes any way of seeing that invests its object --an image, a person, a time, a place--with spiritual significance. Drawing from many different fields, David Morgan investigates key aspects of vision and imagery in a variety of religious traditions. His lively, innovative book explores how viewers absorb and process religious imagery and how their experience contributes to the social, intellectual, and perceptual construction of reality. Ranging widely from thirteenth-century Japan and eighteenth-century Tibet to contemporary America, Thailand, and Africa, The Sacred Gaze discusses the religious functions of images and the tools viewers use to interpret them. Morgan questions how fear and disgust of images relate to one another and explains how scholars study the long and evolving histories of images as they pass from culture to culture. An intriguing strand of the narrative details how images have helped to shape popular conceptions of gender and masculinity. The opening chapter considers definitions of "visual culture" and how these relate to the traditional practice of art history.
Amply illustrated with more than seventy images from diverse religious traditions, this masterful interdisciplinary study provides a comprehensive and accessible resource for everyone interested in how religious images and visual practice order space and time, communicate with the transcendent, and embody forms of communion with the divine. The Sacred Gaze is a vital introduction to the study of the visual culture of religions. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Seeing the world through the places that mean most to us.
Our relation to the earth, to particular places, is an important element of our identity as individuals and as a country. Northrop Frye once asked: "Where is here?" Maureen Korp provides an original and stimulating route to exploring that question through an examination of how some artists confront the land. In clear and frequently witty prose, Korp explains first how the works of some artists in and around Ottawa and Hull opened her eyes to new ways of looking at "ordinary" places, which turn out to be not so ordinary. The artists' careful compositions guide the viewer to something beyond the immediate space. A chapter on Jennifer Dickson's photographs of gardens takes a further step towards sites where "there have been events of passion and intellect; the sites have history and they have names." This observation leads to considerations of "built spaces", such as Saskatchewan's Moose Mountain Medicine Wheel and other North American native earthworks, as well as six massive contemporary earthworks. Korp skilfully lays out a path that leads us to glimpses of understanding why some places strike us as significant, why simply being there we can be overwhelmed by their power by simply being there, and sometimes experience visionary states. They center us to the earth; they point our ways home. This book produced many flashes of recognition. It helped me make sense of my reactions when I first returned to my birth place, and of my responses to other places that have been important to me. Such spaces help us find ourselves in that world; that is why they have a touch of the sacred. Sacred Art of the Earth opened my eyes in marvellous new ways. Maureen Korp addresses profound issues in a wonderfully down to eath voice.

Excellent discussion of environmentally oriented artworks
There are areas on the earth recognizable as important, even powerful. They have been spoken of as sacred by some, "resonating" by others. Many years and several careers ago, while waiting for my Masters Thesis on a Quaternary topic to be signed off, I played around with studies of environmental perception. I did not, however, find an objective explanation for this phenomena of "sacred" landscapes. My own experiments consisted of tachistoscopic viewing of a large number of photographic slides. I asked fellow grad students to rate each slide, 1 to 10, as it was projected. I had previously measured each of the photos for percentages of color as well as features such as water, sky, vegetation, etc. The photos were, for the most part, of natural landscapes. I don't recall getting any meaningful results and the professor suggested that all I really wanted to do was show off my photography. Maureen Korp has done a much better job than I of analyzing such landscapes. In her new book, _Sacred Art of the Earth, Ancient and Contemporary Earthworks_ (Continuum, 1997 ISBN 0-8264-0883-4), she presents criteria for recognizing locations of "power" through analysis of a particular type of art, earthworks. For those of you unwilling to approach religious topics, don't be misled by the title. This is not a theological text. If you wish, think in terms of aesthetics rather than religion. Feelings of awe and wonder associated with "sacred sites" can and are experienced by atheists, agnostics and the devout; only the words used to describe such experiences vary. In the book, such dichotomies are discussed in terms of sacred and profane, cultural perceptions of art, the concept of "Mother Earth" and more. It took quite a while for me to get a copy of this book, but I finally did through a Barnes and Noble outlet (Amazon has it cheaper). My first reaction was that Maureen Korp has an excellent command of written language and if I wasn't careful I'd gulp it down in a single sitting (it's only 146 pages less the notes). After reading the first two chapters I'd realized there was much I needed to ponder in detail. Since then, I worked through the book in small bites. An analogy to fine whiskey may be appropriate here, it can be taken in a shot (at the risk of being overwhelmed) or sipped. One of the first points that made me pause was some terminology. I'd been with the US Army Corps of Engineers for some years and came to associate "earthworks" not with art but with such things as rivetments, canals and dams. She states: "...the earthwork. It marks the landscape, shapes our perception of the earth as a landscape. It creates a geography".(p19) This is not inconsistent with those engineered items I was familiar with albeit they were/are rarely considered aesthetic (except perhaps by engineers). Next, this use of the word geography. "Geography" has always been, for me, an abstract noun. During my graduate days, the definition I came to prefer was actually a verb, "geography is what geographers do". These are not particularly important points except that they helped cause me to read much slower. What I believe is central to this book is the idea that people have, from the earliest times to the present, recognized places that are somehow special. Different cultures in different times and places mark these areas in a variety of ways, denoting their power and significance. I thought one of the more intriguing points dealt with the variation between cultures with open horizons as opposed to those indigenous to closed or forested areas. Maureen Korp has this to say about the commonality of sacred sites: "..., like all other ancient sacred sites, share a set of common physical attributes that comprise the descriptors needed for a morphology of sacred place."(p102) The question then is what are these attributes. After the introduction, she takes us on a tour of European gardens. These gardens are seen through the eyes of Jennifer Dickson, an artist who interprets "sacred sites" with a camera. I pondered the applicability of this chapter in reference to the overall stated purpose of the book and was constantly drawn to an Ansel Adams print I have on my wall. Dickson takes photos of physically constructed landscapes whereas Adams' photo (this particular one is the 1944 _Winter Sunrise, Sierra Nevada, from Lone Pine, California) is a natural landscape. I was long puzzled by what appeared to me to be an incompatibility in definition of "sacred" landscapes. I could not accept that an artifactual garden could be sacred but the naturally majestic Sierra Nevada were not. The answer lies in Korp's view that the landscape is not naturally sacred, it is the combination of the artist's vision, the execution or realization of that vision along with the natural characteristics of the site that create sacredness. Photography is thus an appropriate medium for creating sacredness. I would still maintain, however, that such art as Adams' and Dickson's are not strictly speaking "earthworks". The inclusion of Dickson's work in this book thus becomes somewhat problematic. I do think, however, that such inclusion is justifiable in that examination of this art helps illustrate just what characteristics of landscapes are to be considered as significant. Discussion shifts to other, what could be termed, physical installations or "proper" earthworks. Korp discusses the siting of these works, the materials of their construction, reactions of visitors and a host of other factors pertinant to each. Leaving it to the reader to decide which if any of these works should be considered sacred. She states: "By no means are all contemporary earthworks sacred endeavors. Some fail. The artist may lack talent, or talent equal to the artist's vision. The artist may lack the simple opportunity to do the work. Some earthworks are just what their sponsors claim them to be - land reclamation projects, gardens, parks, playgrounds, or other sorts of outdoor sculptural installations." (p129) Further on, she provides this synopsis: "The sacred place is described generally as an architectonic space that is enclosed or set aside in some way; it is a place that has a point of entry, requiring the visitor to go from here to there along some directed path. The sacred place is animated: it is a site where something important happens, where our everyday sense of time and place collapses." (p130) Included in this book are examples of ancient New World sculptures: the serpent mounds near Cincinnati, Ohio and at Rice Lake, Ontario; various petroglyph sites; and ancient astronomical observatories. She takes us on a visit to the Moose Mountain Medicine Wheel, in Saskatchewan. She has drawn extensively from the writings of Mircea Eliade and a wealth of others. There is an extensive bibliography provided and the book is indexed. The single most significant omission that comes to mind is the lack of discussion of Frederick Law Olmstead, perhaps America's most important landscape artist. Many of his works, I feel, fulfill the requirements. There is a point along the road from Yosemite Valley to Tuolumne Meadows, named after this man, that is well known for creating feelings of awe and wonder. Finally, Maureen Korp has provided us with a work of art, in its own right. This is a book about a form of art, a book about cultural expression, a book about the dicotomy of religion and aesthetics. It is also an important book about living with as well as on the earth. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Disappointed
I truly enjoyed the Book of Meditations so ordered several others. Meditations on Silence, Meditations on Love and Meditations on Joy. When they came they were the exact same things that were in the larger Book of Meditations. Had I known this I would not have spent and additional 7.00 per book for something I already possessed.

Please let others know the smaller books are just parts of the larger book. Nothing new here....very dissappointing......

Wonderful Wisdom from Sister Wendy
I recently read this terrific book from the wise Sister Wendy. After all, a woman who spends her life in contemplitive prayer should have much to share with us! The joy of this book, especially for art lovers, is that each devotion is based upon a beautiful painting or art work. While one reads the devotion, the eyes travel back and forth to the picture. I have been challenged by Sister Wendy's loving words, and use it in the mornings to include in daily devotions in worship. Perhaps the best section (perhaps because it's the first and it catches one unawares), is on silence. Living in such hectic times, it is refreshing to be encouraged to seek silence -- silence within one's self and silence with God so that he can speak to us and we can hear him - in that beautiful silence. Thank you, Sister Wendy, for a very lovely book.

Solid wisdom for everyone; no gimmicks here.
I heard an interview with Sister Wendy on NPR's Fresh Air, and found it hard to believe a person could be so intrinsically good. I was skeptical, but curious too, since she had spent years in a Carmelite Order in which silence is the rule. Still, I remained skeptical until I looked over Sister Wendy's books in a bookstore--they were hard to find, and found that her Meditations had a great deal of wisdom in it--on silence, peace, love, and joy. Each meditation was based on a dozen or so works of art (Sister Wendy is best known her books and PBS programs on art appreciation), and all reflect the essence of Christianity--the Christianity that has become so rare in this era of the religious right. I am happy to recommend it to anyone; her words are consistent with all the great world religions. As with all of them, there are no easy answers, but there are many solid things to work on--for a long time, for most of us. ... Read more

Book Description

This lavishly illustrated guide to iconography explains through words and pictures the history, meaning, and purpose of Christian icons as well as the traditional methods that religious painters use to create these luminous, spiritually enlivened works of art.

Solrunn Nes, one of Europe's most admired iconographers, illuminates the world of Christian icons, explaining the motifs, gestures, and colors common to these profound symbols of faith. Nes explores in depth a number of famous icons, including those of the Greater Feasts, the Mother of God, and a number of the better-known saints, enriching her discussion with references to Scripture, early Christian writings, and liturgy. She also leads readers through the process and techniques of icon painting, showing each step with photographs, and includes more than fifty of her own original works of art.

Deeply inspiring and utterly unique, "The Mystical Language of Icons" will inform both those who are familiar with the rich tradition of religious art and those who are not. It also serves as a powerful devotional resource in its own right, one that Christians everywhere can turn to again and again. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

God's Word in Color

In a time when what usually passes for religious art in the West is deplorable, it is always a sign of hope to come across the relative few who genuinely represent the tradition and (not to overstate the case in the least) the universal and authoritative canon of authentic Christian theological aesthetics. As regards the iconographic arts in particular, the essence of that canon is best expressed in the words of the Seventh Ecumenical Council (A.D. 787), which stated:

The making of icons was not the creation of the painters, but an accepted institution and tradition within the universal Church. . . . The idea and tradition came from the fathers, not from the painters. Only the art belongs to the painter, whereas the form without doubt comes from the fathers, who founded the Church. (quoted in Nes, p. 13)

In other words, the common classical heritage of Christian art is embedded in an objective tradition, one which is conventional, canonical, dogmatic, didactic, and liturgical. The antithesis of true Christian iconography in the Church is therefore that which presumes to abandon the objective for the subjective, tradition based on God's revelation for social propaganda, dogma for mere sentiment, the canon for self-expression.

Drop into just about any Christian book or gift shop and one is likely to see prominently displayed "Precious Moments" angels, or those many ghastly "Jesus" pictures that I've come to think of (depending on which of the various scenes is depicted) as "Happy Jesus," "Malibu Jesus," and (when he is shown helping children play baseball, etc.) "Jesus the Friendly Ghost."

If one continues looking around, he might descry cards or books of the skillfully rendered "icons" of either Robert Lentz ("Bridge-Building Icons") or William Hart McNichols. Lentz and McNichols have adapted the Eastern iconographic style to serve their own religious sociopolitical agenda. As such, though technically impressive, their icons do not serve as vehicles of the tradition, but as propaganda and individual expression. For example, Lentz has produced such "icons" as those of "Hagios" Harvey Milk, and Christ as an AIDS victim. (Personally speaking, if pressed at gunpoint to make the choice, I would choose "Happy Jesus" for my bedroom wall over one of these slick propaganda-icons, which constitute a far graver offense.)

Solrunn Nes, whom I was privileged to meet at the last Orientale Lumen Conference in June 2001, is the author of a beautiful antidote to such stuff. Highly regarded as an iconographer of considerable skill in Europe (her work can be found in many places, including Aylesford Priory in England and Takvam Chapel in Arna), and especially in her native Norway where she is a lecturer at the University of Bergen, Miss Nes has produced a fine guide to iconography in her recently published The Mystical Language of Icons. The book is lavishly illustrated in full color throughout with Miss Nes's own icons, each in the style of one of the various schools with which she is most conversant. All are striking and luminous, and fully in accord with the objective canonical tradition. Her work reveals how one committed prayerfully to the latter can nonetheless produce art of obvious creativity.

Miss Nes provides us with an informative introduction, the fruit of her many years of research and travel to the great centers and monasteries of Orthodoxy, detailing for the reader the technique of icon painting (or "writing," as some would say), and showing the steps with photographs. She cursorily provides the historical and theological background of Orthodox iconography, the range of motifs, and important insights into the use of form, perspective, attribute, and symbol.

The "meat" of the book, though, is page after page of her fine icons-those of Christ and the Theotokos, the feasts of the church year, the saints, and so forth-along with explanatory notes of the "mystical language" contained in each piece. As such, this book is both a crash course in the way the faith of the Fathers is conveyed through the art of the prayerful canonical painter, and a book for slow and absorbing devotional meditation.

Above all, Solrunn Nes, herself a Western European and convert to Roman Catholicism, nonetheless possesses a profound knowledge and love of Eastern Christianity, and can be recognized as a true representative of the tradition expressed preeminently at Nicea II. Two quotations from her book's introduction serve to show why this is so, and why she is an authentic iconographer (and why, incidentally, Lentz and McNichols are not):

The icon is a holy object, the form being merely a receptacle for the content. And the content is determined by the Holy Scriptures and the Traditions of the Church. That is why the work process is marked more by discipline than by [individualistic] inspiration. (p. 12)

. . . [T]he icon's motif is based on a historic event through which God has manifested himself. . . . However, in so far as the motif has a current interest over and above the historic event, a style is used which underlines its universality and timelessness. As an expression of divine revelation the icon is subject to neither the laws of nature nor the reason of man. The icon is thus no illusion of the physical, visible world, but a vision of the spiritual, invisible world. (p. 21)

Well, you won't get that with "Malibu Jesus" or "Saint Harvey Milk," but you will surely see it in Solrunn Nes. This book is unreservedly recommended.


Addison H. Hart is a contributing editor of *Touchstone: A Journal of Mere Christianity*, in which this review first appeared.

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Book Description

How can art enhance and enrich the Christian faith?What is the basis for a relationship between the church and visual imagery? Can the art world and the Protestant church be reconciled? Is art idolatry and vanity, or can it be used to strengthen the church? Grounded in historical and biblical research, William Dyrness offers students and scholars an intriguing, substantive look into the relationship between the church and the world of art.

Faith and art were not always discordant. According to Dyrness, Israel understood imagery and beauty as reflections of God's perfect order; likewise, early Christians used art to teach and inspire. However, the Protestant church abandoned visual arts and imagery during the Reformation in favor of the written word and has only recently begun to reexamine art's role in Christianity and worship. Dyrness affirms this renewal and argues that art, if reflecting the order and wholeness of the world God created, can and should play an important role in modern Christianity. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Phenominal Scholarly Overview
I really enjoyed how this book looked very practically at the arts and the evolution of them within the church. It gives not only a historical requirement to continue to press for more artistic use and involvement in the modern movement of the church, but also gives practical ways in which to do so. If you're involved in creative arts ministry in any capacity, you probably should read this book in order to get your berings. ... Read more