The Great Painters' Gospel Part 1

The Great Painters' Gospel.

by Henry Turner Bailey.

SUGGESTIONS.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Capernaum]

_Site of Capernaum, Sea of Galilee._

THE USE OF PICTURES IN TEACHING.

PICTURES may hold a primary or secondary place in teaching, according to their nature and the aim of the teacher.

_The text itself_ may be the supreme thing, and pictures become mere pictorial comments upon the text. Pictures when so used have the nature of _views_ or _ill.u.s.trations_. The picture at the head of this page is a view. It is reproduced from a photograph taken directly from nature. Such pictures are of great value in building up in the mind clear images of objects or of scenes beyond the pupil's reach. A map means almost nothing to a person unfamiliar with the country, unless by means of numberless views the appearance of the country has been made known to the mind. Every teacher in Sunday-school should have a collection of photographic views of the historical sites of the Bible, of implements, household utensils, articles of dress, etc., which may be used to make clear the Biblical references to such things. Without such ill.u.s.trations words may convey little or no meaning.

The first picture upon the next page may be called an ill.u.s.tration.

To a person unfamiliar with the text it might convey any meaning but the true one; but to one familiar with the story of Christ and the rich young ruler it is wonderfully graphic and satisfactory. The words of the text take on a deeper meaning as they are studied in the light of this picture. Because Hofmann is an artist, a man gifted with imagination, he sees more clearly, more vividly than the average person. Seen through his eyes what was before vague and unconvincing becomes definite and powerful. Before seeing the picture the pupil had heard the words:"Jesus, looking upon him, loved him." Now with the picture he _sees_ that Jesus loves him and is anxious to have him decide for life everlasting. Before "the poor" were abstract; now they become a concrete reality. Before the pupil had been told that the young man had "great possessions;" now he sees that he had also health and beauty and intelligence, greater possessions than land and gold. The Sunday-school teacher is fortunate who has at his command pictures which ill.u.s.trate, which make luminous the text. Plates 11, 20, 34, 39, 47, 62, 70, 101, 106, 133, and 143 may be mentioned as notable examples of good ill.u.s.trations to supplement the text.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Christ and the Young Ruler.]

Plate 112. _Christ and the Young Ruler._ H. Hofmann. 1824-

The picture itself may be the object of study, and the text become a commentary upon the picture. For example, consider this picture by Holman Hunt. Every detail has something important to say to the pupil. The postures of these people and the costumes say "oriental."

The profuse ornamentation both of the architecture and the various furnis.h.i.+ngs speak of extraordinary conditions. This is the temple which was the wonder of the age (see Mark 13:1), and these are the people who loved to go about in long clothing, and who "devoured widows' houses" to be rich. (Matt. 23:14.) This boy with his pure face and far-away-gazing eyes is he who had thoughts about "his Father's house." The look in the woman's face is appreciated in the light of what she is recorded as having said, "I have sought thee sorrowing." (Luke 2:48.) That she rather than her husband should speak to him is no surprise to one familiar with Matt. 1:18-25. The faces of these serious-looking men must be read in the light of the words, "And all that heard him were amazed at his understanding and answers." One man has an ornamental box in his hand. What is that for? Another has a similar box upon his forehead. Why? Deut. 6:6-8 and Matt. 23:5 will help answer those questions. A man is begging at the entrance. It is not extraordinary in the light of Acts 3:1, 2, and Mark 14:7. He begs in vain outside, while within a servant brings wine to refresh those who will not so much as lift a finger to help the burdened. (Matt. 23:4.) Beyond the beggar craftsmen are still at work upon the temple. Yes, because when this child Jesus first visited the temple it was not completed. "Forty and six years was this temple in building." (John 2:20.) Birds are flying in and out!

"Yea, the sparrow hath found a house, and the swallow a nest for herself, ... even thine altars, O Lord of Hosts." (Ps. 84:3.) The little boy with the fly-driver tells the season of the year, the light and the few wors.h.i.+ppers and the idle musicians tell the time of day. Everything has a message, even the ornament upon wall and floor!

That tells whence the Jews derived their art. This picture is more than a commonplace ill.u.s.tration of a single text: it is a graphic presentation of an era. The particular event is shown in its historical setting. The picture is a supreme work of art.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Finding of Christ in the Temple.]

Plate 35. _Finding of Christ in the Temple._ Holman Hunt. 1827-

If pictures of this sort are to be studied, every pupil in the cla.s.s should have a copy. The teacher's business is to direct the pupil to individual observation and inquiry. The perpetual questions should be, What do you see? What does it mean? Why is that here? What does it contribute to the total content of the picture? What does the picture as a whole have to say? Plates 8, 9, 18, 25, 29, 33, 40, 81, 89, 93, 110, 139, 153, 159, and 167, might be mentioned among those especially worthy of this a.n.a.lytical and exhaustive study.

Occasionally pupils will find both interest and profit in the comparative study of a series of pictures. For example take the five plates of The Annunciation, pages 9 and 10. After the facts have been determined by a study of the text, the investigation may proceed as follows: What are the essential elements found in all the pictures alike? Which artist has told the story most simply and directly? The different artists have emphasized or given special attention to some one phase or phrase. Which has embodied more perfectly the first, or the second, or the third? Which has introduced elements of his own?

Why? Do they help? Which has, on the whole, told the story most vividly? Which most beautifully? A study of this group of pictures in the light of such notes as will be found printed therewith, will enable any teacher to formulate for himself a plan for studying any other group of pictures.

In such study it is essential that each pupil be supplied with a complete set of the pictures to be compared.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Madonna of the Shop.]

_Madonna._ Dagnan-Bouveret.

But the picture itself is sometimes not a thing to be consciously a.n.a.lyzed and inventoried; it is simply a thing of beauty, "its own excuse for being;" it is something to be received as a whole with thankfulness, like the odor of wild grape vines, or the form of a calla lily, or the color of a sunrise, or the music of wind in pine trees. Such a picture is this Madonna of the Shop, by Dagnan-Bouveret.

One may think for a moment now and then of how well the picture is composed, of how perfect a master of his art the man must be who can make spots of paint suggest wood and metal, linen and wool, soft flesh and softer light, but the mind returns again and again to the contemplation of the wondrous sweet face of the Virgin, whose deep eyes see unspeakable things. One comes to love such a picture as a dear familiar friend, and to yield to its gentle influence as to moonlight upon the sea. The contemplation of such pictures is one of the purest pleasures of life, a foretaste of the sight of "the King in his Beauty."

THE GREAT PAINTERS' GOSPEL.

THE GREAT PAINTERS' GOSPEL.

[Ill.u.s.tration: The Annunciation.]

_The Annunciation._ t.i.tian.

THE ANNUNCIATION.

The angel Gabriel was sent from G.o.d to a virgin whose name was Mary.

The angel said "Hail, Mary, highly favored, blessed art thou among women." (Luke 1:26-28.) Mary is supposed to have been in a house of wors.h.i.+p at the time (like Hannah, 1 Sam. 1:9-18, and Zacharias, Luke 1:8-13), hence the beautiful surroundings; and to have been at prayer, as suggested by the kneeling posture and the book. The dove is a symbol of the Holy Ghost (Luke 3:22). The beam of light symbolizes the going forth of divine power (Hos. 6:5). The angel is borne upon a cloud (Ps. 104:3), and carries a rod or scepter, symbols of authority (Ex. 4:1-5, Esther 4:11). The lily is introduced as a symbol of perfection and purity (Song 2:2; compare also Num. 17:8).

t.i.tian has depicted the instant when the angel says "Hail, Mary." He has introduced emblems of the ideal woman (Prov. 31:13, 14, 26, etc.).

[Transcriber's Note: As you may note, each plate is introduced with the artist's name and the plate number. In the original source, this text was bolded, not italicized.]

_Hofmann, Plate 1,_ shows the moment when Gabriel says: "Blessed art thou among women." (Luke 1:28.) In this picture only, the angel approaches from behind. The picture recalls the experience of another Mary (John 20:14).

_Guido Reni, Plate 2,_, has chosen the instant when Gabriel says, "Thou hast found favor with G.o.d." The infant angels represent, perhaps, "the spirits of love, intelligence and innocence," [1] and accompany the Divine Presence because of the words of Christ, when speaking of children, "Their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven." (Matt. 18:10.)

_Muller, Plate 3,_ seems to have shown the moment when Mary said, "Let it be unto me according to thy word." (Luke 1:38.) His figures and faces express less animation than any of the others.

_Dosso, Plate 4,_ represents Gabriel as saying, "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee"

(Luke 1:35), for both the dove, symbol of the Holy Ghost, and the Highest himself, upon a cloud and accompanied with cherubs, are present. (Compare 2 Sam. 22:10-12.)

_Baroccio, Plate 5,_ seems to have seized upon the moment when Mary has just asked "How shall this be?" (Luke 1:34). The angel is encouraging her faith by reference to Elisabeth. (Luke 1:36.)

[1] Mrs. Jameson, "Sacred and Legendary Art," vi., p. 57.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Annunciation to Mary.]

Plate 1. _Annunciation to Mary._ H. Hofmann. 1824-

[Ill.u.s.tration: Annunciation to Mary.]

Plate 2. _Annunciation to Mary._ Guido Reni 1575-1642.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Annunciation to Mary.]

Plate 3. _Annunciation to Mary._ Franz Muller.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Annunciation to Mary.]

Plate 4. _Annunciation to Mary._ Dossi Dosso. 1479-1542.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Annunciation to Mary.]

Plate 5. _Annunciation to Mary._ F. Baroccio. 1528-1612.

THE SALUTATION.

"And in those days Mary arose and went into the hill country to a city of Judah, and entered into the house of Zacharias and saluted Elisabeth ... and Elisabeth, filled with the Holy Ghost, said, Blessed art thou among women." (Luke 1:39-45.)

_Albertinelli, Plate 6,_ has depicted the two women at the moment of meeting.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Mary's Visit to Elisabeth.]

Plate 6. _Mary's Visit to Elisabeth._ Albertinelli. 1474-1515.