Thank you very much for such a wealth of the cross art history. It is fascinating. I never knew the backstory of Grunewald’s altarpiece. I can appreciate it all the more now. God bless you and your family!
What a special treat on a day of fasting. Amelia if your substantial work finds an audience among our separated brethren they cannot help but seek a greater understanding of the beauty and truth that they have been denied for so long. LET'S HOPE SO!
Amelia, thank you so much for this deep dive into the history of crucifixes in art. There’s so much theology represented within all of this. One of my spiritual and academic mentors always stresses architecture as a way of symbolizing the theology of that given community (in the context of churches themselves), so your wonderful post reminded me that such a way of thinking extends out towards all religious art. Thank you! Much pax, TD.
Amelia, this was a wonderful conclusion to our Good Friday meditations. Thank you for including an image and mention of the Brazen Serpent in the Desert. Jesus was intent on aligning his death on the Cross to the unique narrative of the cast bronze image that God instructed Moses to make. God could have dispelled the poisonous serpents from the Israelite camp but chose rather to originate a liturgical process: if you are bitten, gaze upon the image of the serpent – the source of the affliction, to receive healing from the serpent’s poison. As we gaze upon and accept the “lifted up” crucified Christ who has taken on the sin of the world – “made to be sin” as St. Paul writes, we face our own sin – the source of our affliction, and we encounter the healing path to salvation.
“Still, the first crucifixes did not focus on the suffering of Christ, but on his victory over death”
I was struck reading this how various times in history have called for different emphases on how we depict the cross. Ancient times seemed to call for a more victorious understanding of the cross as it was still loaded with cultural symbolism that it was a foolish thing. More modern depictions seem to tend toward the sorrow and pain of the cross to help us understand the depths of suffering experienced.
Thank you very much for such a wealth of the cross art history. It is fascinating. I never knew the backstory of Grunewald’s altarpiece. I can appreciate it all the more now. God bless you and your family!
Thank you Shannon! I hope you and yours have a blessed Easter!
What a special treat on a day of fasting. Amelia if your substantial work finds an audience among our separated brethren they cannot help but seek a greater understanding of the beauty and truth that they have been denied for so long. LET'S HOPE SO!
Have a Blessed Easter!
Thank you Mike! That is the hope. Blessed Easter.
Amelia, thank you so much for this deep dive into the history of crucifixes in art. There’s so much theology represented within all of this. One of my spiritual and academic mentors always stresses architecture as a way of symbolizing the theology of that given community (in the context of churches themselves), so your wonderful post reminded me that such a way of thinking extends out towards all religious art. Thank you! Much pax, TD.
Thank you Anthony! I'm glad to hear this article helped bring back that memory.
Thank you! I am grateful for your publication, keep up the inspiring writing.
Amelia, this was a wonderful conclusion to our Good Friday meditations. Thank you for including an image and mention of the Brazen Serpent in the Desert. Jesus was intent on aligning his death on the Cross to the unique narrative of the cast bronze image that God instructed Moses to make. God could have dispelled the poisonous serpents from the Israelite camp but chose rather to originate a liturgical process: if you are bitten, gaze upon the image of the serpent – the source of the affliction, to receive healing from the serpent’s poison. As we gaze upon and accept the “lifted up” crucified Christ who has taken on the sin of the world – “made to be sin” as St. Paul writes, we face our own sin – the source of our affliction, and we encounter the healing path to salvation.
How amazing that Christ would become the serpent in such a way. Thank you for the wonderful explanation.
Beautiful, Amelia! I never go away hungry from your posts. Thanks for all the beauty. Blessed Pasch!!
Thank you so much Denise! That means a lot coming from you. I hope you and your family have a joyful Easter!
“Still, the first crucifixes did not focus on the suffering of Christ, but on his victory over death”
I was struck reading this how various times in history have called for different emphases on how we depict the cross. Ancient times seemed to call for a more victorious understanding of the cross as it was still loaded with cultural symbolism that it was a foolish thing. More modern depictions seem to tend toward the sorrow and pain of the cross to help us understand the depths of suffering experienced.
Thanks for writing this!
Thank you Andrew. That is a great way of putting it.
Excellent work, thank you!
Thank you!
➕ IC XC Nika! ➕