Freedom from Want by Norman Rockwell

Norman Rockwell (1894-1978)is one of the most beloved American artists. Freedom from Want is a classic illustration done in 1943 that is still relevant today. The artist created a warm loving environment in this picture that brings us all together at the Thanksgiving table. Although at first we may notice the succulent turkey and beautifully set table, it is the smiling and loving faces that remind us of the true meaning of Thanksgiving and ‘freedom from want”.

“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, His love endures forever.” Psalm 106:1

Daniel

Daniel’s Answer to the King by Briton Rivière (1840-1920) depicts the Biblical hero Daniel who was thrown into a den of hungry lions. Briton Rivière produced a mix of contemporary genre, classical and animal subjects, which was his specialty. In this religious art piece, we can appreciate the realistic details of the lions and the artist’s use of rich colors and lighting used in the painting. We see Daniel (who refused to worship other gods and was arrested for praying) who was thrown into a den of hungry lions calmly looking up towards God as the lions surrounded him. This classic religious painting so beautifully depicts the story of Daniel in the lion’s den and how God protected Daniel and he was not harmed by the lions.

Silent Night Crucifixion of Jesus

Silent Night by christian artist Stephen S. Sawyer is a very unique portrayal of Jesus being crucified on the cross. It is a very dark, sad picture of Jesus; depicting His true pain and suffering when He was crucified, taking on the sins of the world, and feeling the pain and rejection of His Heavenly Father when He cried out “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?

“Now from the sixth hour darkness fell upon all the land until the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” In Matthew 27:45-46

The artist’s use of dark colors gives this painting a particularly dark, ominuous and even morbid feeling, reminding us of the significance of the crucifixion. The lighter blue colors and stars in the background can be seen as a glimmer of hope, foreshadowing the glorious resurrection that was to come.

The Sacrifice by Kate Austin Chris

 
The Sacrifice by Kate Austin is a unique piece of Christian Modern Art with a powerful message. The simple cross and broken pieces give this religious art piece a kinetic feeling, as if they are exploding towards us.  One can appreciate the rich symbolism of how Christ broke His body on the cross as a sacrifice for mankind, and the illuminated background can be symbolic of Jesus’ resurrection and how He overcame death. The artist, Kate Austin, wrote this poem to accompany this christian modern art piece:

This is a hard piece
It was hard to make
It is hard to see
Jesus had never known sin
Or darkness within
He was clean
He chose to carry
The sin of all mankind
From the beginning of time
To its end
Our sin broke Him
Into a thousand pieces
It was a hard thing He did
Let us acknowledge humbly
And accept thankfully

I Slept but My Heart Was Awake by Marc Chagall

This abstract religious painting by Marc Chagall is a tribute to the Song of Solomon.5:2. “I was asleep but my heart was awake. A voice! My beloved was knocking: ‘Open to me, my sister, my darling, My dove, my perfect one! For my head is drenched with dew, My locks with the damp of the night.’Song of Solomon 5:2 (New American Standard Bible). The painting’s dream like symbols and the artist’s use of red shades and curving lines evokes images of love and roses.  This painting, like the Bible verse it represents, signifies God’s fervent love to His people. ]]> http://aboutreligiousart.com/?feed=rss2&p=131 http://aboutreligiousart.com/?p=126 http://aboutreligiousart.com/?p=126#comments Mon, 26 Jan 2009 23:55:57 +0000 admin http://aboutreligiousart.com/?p=126

The Good Samaritan by Vincent van Gogh

 
The Good Samaritan was painted by Vincent Van Gogh (1853 – 1890) while he was staying in an institution for the mentally ill in May 1890. This religious art painting  is a mirrored copy of Eugène Delacroix’ Good Samaritan.  Vincent Van Gogh’s unmistakeably unique style can be seen in the brush strokes and vibrant colors that he used to portray the story of The Good Samaritan found in Luke 10:25-37.  His use of colors on the man’s face whom the Samaritan is helping accentuates the way he must have felt after having been beaten and robbed, and the bright blue colors create both a serious and hopeful feeling. This religious artwork by Vincent van Gogh may not be as well known as many of his other pieces of art, but once it is seen, in my opinion, is just as memorable.

“His Hold On Us’ by Christian artist Michael Ollis is a religious art drawing done in pencil that reminds us of how the Lord always has a firm grip on us thoughout our lives. The artist wants to convey the message that no matter what we may be going through in our lives, as believers we have the assurance of knowing that God always extends His unconditional love and grace towards us.  This simple and powerful design creates a beautiful image that I believe many religious people can relate to.

The bible verse at the bottom reads “For He (God) Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. (I will) Not, (I will) Not, (I will) Not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let (you) down. (Relax My hold on you) (Assuredly Not)! Hebrews 13:5 Amplified Bible.

The Virgin with Angels by William Bouguereau

This religious art created by William Bouguereau in 1900 sparks interest and genuine love in our hearts. The angelic figures circulate around The Virgin Mary and her son Jesus as we can imagine them to be on a throne in Heaven. As all of the angels are positioned around Jesus in a circular manner with their arms outstretched; you see the admiration towards The Virgin Mary and Jesus and the significance of His birth.  The upright position of Jesus also symbolizes His superiority among the surrounding angels, some of which are kneeling around the Mother and Child. The shades of yellow and the small stars above Mary’s head create a celestial aura around Jesus and the Virgin Mary in this classic religious artwork.

Lord, Teach Us to Pray by Ron DiCianni

This religious artwork by Ron DiCianni portrays a mother teaching her son how to pray. The illuminated color of the cross formed by the intersection of light contrast with the bold colors in the background behind the mother and child as they share a tender moment snuggled together in a rocking chair. The boy’s intense concentration in prayer and the mother’s calm loving expression is reflective of how prayer time is a special time of personal connection to each other and to God.

Kissing the Face of God by Morgan Weistling

This touching piece of Christian art by Morgan Weistling features Mary kissing the Baby Jesus. The artist portrays Mary’s deep love for the Baby Jesus in the way that she is holding him and kissing His cherubic face. We can only imagine what a great privilege it was to actually hold the Baby Jesus, the Son of God, in our arms and kiss “the face of God”. As we prepare to celebrate Christmas, Kissing the Face of God is a beautiful piece of religious artwork that reminds us of how God chose to send His Son into this world.