The Sacred Heart of Jesus - A New Painting

The Sacred Heart of Jesus. This devotional image has been painted and reproduced  so many times throughout the centuries and in various ways, so much so that no one would even attempt to count the number. 

My new painting of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is nearing com[completion. It was traditionally "sketched" in sepia tone using egg tempera paint.  After, using a limited palate, colors were added in washes or in a cross hatch fashion. This is a tricky process since egg tempera paint is apt to lift off easily, removing all previous layers. But after several years, I've managed to develop a feather-light,  brush technique where I can get around this issue, at least for the most part. There are other paint techniques and this is not the only one that I am proficient with, and although it works well here, another kind could be selected for completion.

I sought to offer a new version of an older standard. The intended result for this particular rendition was to present a strong, painterly work with open, hatched lines and brush work. I am allowing the gesso or white ground (as Pre-Raphaelites termed it) to show through in many places. The left side of the face and forehead of Jesus, for example, is brilliant in light (white) and this light is achieved by NOT applying much paint which the opposite of when I work on icons. In icons we are moving from darkness into light by applying lighter coats of paint over the top of darker layers. 

The theology behind of all of this is beautiful and biblical.  We can refer to the Transfiguration where during and apparently for a short while after, Christ's face was illuminated "brighter than the sun" according to the witnesses. And there are many verses referring to light, white and such.  Although, all painters must concede that this white light depicted by the human hand is truly dark compared to the actual,  pure brilliance of Christ and there is no way of arriving at that brilliance through paint or through anything else in this world. But we do our best to provide a symbolic representation of it.

The Solemnity of the Sacred Heart, as noted above, is celebrated the Friday following the Feast of Corpus Christi. Coincidentally, I am working on a painting of Pie Pellicane (Pelican in its Piety). The scroll reads Holy Eucharist in gold leaf with Pie Pellicane, Iesus Domine (spelling varies) at either end. Glad to feature that work next.

"Pie Pelicane, Jesu, Domine" is the sixth quatrain of Adoro Te Devote (q.v.), sometimes used as a separate hymn at Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament.

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Commissioned paintings, and art reproductions such as standard flat or folded card prints, higher quality GICLEE, on canvas or archival paper, or any other custom design work or image copy can be discussed through contact.