Christ and the crucifixions

 

‘A journey through the most intense works by the English artist (1903-1980), to commemorate the first anniversary of his death. “Christian in the most total and profound sense” wrote Giovanni Testori, “Sutherland knows (and tells us) that grace, the grace of real and not ephemeral knowledge, the grace of salvation, can only pass through the cross …”. This gave rise to the crucifixions, the most important work of an atypical genius who, in life, never disdained to accept commissions (he painted some famous portraits of Churchill and Adenauer, he even produced – on request from Queen Elisabeth – a painting on “The common interests of Portugal and England”; he finally worked many times for English Catholic churches and cathedrals, often adapting himself to pre-defined projects). After his conversion to Catholicism, Sutherland followed the advice of Henry Moore to accept the work which the rector of Coventry Cathedral had officially commissioned from him in 1952: a tapestry where a majestic Christ overlooks a huge ‘green scenario’, surrounded by the symbols of the four evangelists and by St Michael, to whom the cathedral had been dedicated after being built to replace the one destroyed by German bombs in 1940. At the feet of Christ, was a chalice; below that a Crucifixion.’

Date

22 Agosto 1981 - 29 Agosto 1981

Edition

1981
Category
Exhibitions Meeting Exhibitions