Which Christian paintings speak to you ?

During Lent this year the priest where I attend Sunday Mass displayed in church his copy of Rembrandt's The Return of the Prodigal Son .

It meant a lot to the priest and he wanted the painting to represent his theme for Lent this year .

The painting grew on me . I did some reading and research and concluded that for me the parable of the Prodigal Son is probably the greatest story ever told . The painting tells that story's end . There is much I want to share with you.....but perhaps at another time . For starters just look at the father's hands . One is female and the other male . What is Rembrandt telling us ? That God's love has a motherly as well as a fatherly side to it ?

I wonder which paintings speak to you .

This one says so much to me .

Azureknight 773 said:

This particular image:

Everytime I stare at it, I feel like our Master is staring at me back and this has some serious impact as it always reminds me to go to confession (which as of this moment, I have a hard time because the battlefield inside of me is getting deeper and deeper). Confession because it would help me get lighter lest I am unbound of this body filled with those heavy weights, that are sin, and thus going to condemnation because of these sins that are not confessed.

Click to expand...

God bless you for your openness , Azure . You are a blessing to this forum . The Father holds you in His embrace and will never let you go .

JimR-OCDS said:

I don't see a female and male hand in the painting.

I see two male hands. the one on the right is looks strong while the other looks caring. Perhaps that's the only difference that Rembrandt was trying to convey, or, he just erred in not making them identical ?

As an artist myself, although I'm no Rembrandt, I've done paintings that came out good, but had a slight error that I knew if I tried to correct, I'd lose the entire painting.

Jim

Click to expand...

I suppose it's in the eye of the beholder , Jim .

The observation about the hands is one which I wouldn't have noticed myself . I got it from a book written by one who had spent much time meditating on the painting .

I have just come across this video , and the speaker on it also sees a male and a female hand .

ebia said:

Millet' Angelus:
http://www.ourcatholicprayers.com/images/optangelus.jpg

Click to expand...

I share your love of Millet's The Angelus .

I have it on the wall of my bedroom .

Amongst other things it tells me to stop......be still....be quiet .

Aidan K said:

I've always loved "Christ, the light of the world". Can't provide a link and don't even know who it's by. It grabbed me when I was a very young child

Click to expand...

Do you mean Holman Hunt's The Light of the World ?


I love it and have it hung up in my house .

I have seen the life-size version which Holman Hunt painted in St Paul's Cathedral , London .

It says so much , the most obvious being the verse on which it is based.....Revelation 3:20: "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me" .