The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1916-09-09
CHRISTIAN ART IN THE HOME.

than that of the Church.
So high the standard, so broad the
scope of Catholic art, that it is at once
classic and pure, tenderly appealing
and infinitely inspiring, yet intelligible
and pleasing to all. Not alone those
Versed in many schools of art herein
find delight unspeakable, but the mind
of the child is attracted and drawn up
ward toward the contemplation of the
noblest works of genius, fulfilling the
inspirations of religion.
Having such sources from which to
draw, it is no difficult matter to pro-
cure what we wish and at the same
time make choice of the best. And
owing to the present enthusiasm for
religious art all over the world, par
ticularly for fifteenth century art, we
are enabled to secure good copies of
many of the most famous pictorial rep
reservations of sacred things at mod
crate cost The value Of such a priv
ilege is beyond estimate.
Means and influence may not be
ours, and because Of circumstances
congenial companionship may be de-
MED us, but if we have pictures of
Christian art upon our walls and books
Of the same exalted taste near us, we
may, if we so will, dwell within an at
mosphere of beauty, refinement and in
spiration, and as far as we are able to
receive, in communion with
Light intellectual, replete with love,
Love to true good replete with ecstasy,
Ecstasy that transcendeth every sweet
ness"
OF all the classic reproductions, no
picture today attracts more attention
than The Last Supper" by Leonardo
da Vinci, from the fact that the orig
inal painted upon the walls of the old
convent in Milan is much decayed and
is fast disappearing, owing to the
dampness of the ancient building and
the ill-usage of past years at the hands
Of hostile forces during times of war
fare. It's restoration has been and is
the study of artists, the theme Of lee.
lures, and our foreign correspondents
fill columns with interesting matter
concerning this celebrated fresco. We
could place upon the walls of ouI
homes no more impressive or more
talked-of picture The scene is in
deed a sermon and every figure a
study. In description, Francis Edison
Belden says: 1.-THE artist has chosen
the moment when Christ announces
One of you shall betray me- The
movement of hands then constitutes
the great feature of the picture. Johr
the beloved meekly folds his, but the
impulsive Peter, starting from his seat
grasps Johns shoulder and points tc
Jesus as if saying, Shall | ask Him
who?' while he suggestively touches
Judas with the handle of the knife he
holds The traitor grasps the purse he
holds and upsets the salt-boX, from
which comes the notion of ill-luck at
taching to spilled salt. His other hanC
makes an involuntary convulsive move
ment Beyond him in order are An
drew the younger, James and Barthol
omew on the left of Jesus, are the
elder James, Thomas with uplifted fin
ger, Philip, Matthew, Thaddeus and the
venerable Simon
In our efforts toward beautifying an(
clarifying the home, let us make thu
further acquaintance of the Madonnas
After ALL most of us know but little o
the infinite influence that Mary, thu
mother of our Savior, exercises in thu
world of art, an influence like a heaV
emily coronation upon the Christian
ages. The following lines are from tn,
pen of Eliza Allen Starr, in pOrtraya
of Raphael's Madonnas, found in he
exquisite little volume, "Christmas
tide" and the list of names may b.
taken for our instruction and guild
ance:
Madonna! The inspiration of thu
Christian poet, as thou hast been of thu
masters of Christian song, the &c
cilians of the ages; but, above all, thu
inspiration of Christian artists from
the unknown decorators of the cata
combs, Santa Priscilla and Santa Dom
itilla, and the arch of triumph in SAINT;
Maria Maggiora, to Giunta of Pisa
Guido, Duccio, Simone Memmi, Gina
bue Giotto of Florence, Jacopo Turrit;
the Franciscan in his mosaics, Nicol;
Pisano, in marble, Andrea PisanO il
bronze, down to the richest efflores
cence of Christian art under GILBERT
Donatello, Lorenzo di Credi, Leonardo
di Vinci, Luini, Fra Angelica, Peru
gino, Fabriano, Giovanni Santi, Lucci
della Robbia, Michael Angelo, to Ra
phael himself; as if to prove that ar
above poetry or music, or any OUTCOME
of genius, owes its inspiration to thos
dogmas of which the Incarnation i
the life and the very soul" few
more lines from the same authority
''Yet if we must choose from all thi
galaxy of radiant names, one whic
may stand as an exponent of tn
whole, the swing of an exponent of tn
whole, the swing of whose pendulum
describes the entire are of beauty, v
must undoubtedly choose that of Ra
phael Santi of Urbino." ~
Madonnas were a favorite them
with this great painter, his pictures O
such character numbering probabl
two score or more.
A little while ago at the house of al
acquaintance, l was shown very rar
piece of art work, a Raphael group
comprising the Madonna and Hol
Child with little st. John the Baptis
close by, wrought upon rose-tintec
II, oh This hoo