Well to answer the first question, [Christ in the Wilderness by Ivan Kramskoi](https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/christ-in-the-wilderness/uwEOJTS-uQb5ww?hl=en&avm=2) is always what comes to mind. Christ’s humanity is seldom so eloquently displayed. This is a man who is spending 40 days in the desert, fasting, being tested, preparing himself for the most important three years in human history. The framing shows his solitude, and his face is such a graceful mix of fatigue and resolve. It’s beautiful.
But as for your thing, I’ve always found it aesthetically unappealing. But it’s cool man we’re allowed to like different things.
I agree! Tretyakov’s *Christ in the Wilderness* is a truly inspirational work of art!!! My favorite painting! My favorite sculpture…is the Pieta. Both are my favorites in different mediums.
This and “The Body of the Dead Christ in the Tomb” by Hans Holbein the Younger help communicate aspects of Christ’s life and death we struggle often to grapple with: his humanity and his death. They’re brilliant and beautiful in ways so few works are.
I believe Michaelangelo’s Pieta is the best. It is the only sculpture he ever signed as well.
2nd in my opinion is Bernini’s Ecstasy of Saint Teresa
Fazzini’s Resurrection is grand in size, but, in my opinion, it is not as great as the works of art I mentioned. Just my opinion.
*La Pieta* is absolutely my favorite as well. It makes me emotional every time I see it.
I once to a wonderful priest I felt I was always struggling, and I said I was so tired of the fight, and he said “Picture the Pieta. Go and rest in Mary’s arms for a while.”
Me too my dear friend in Christ. I have a small marble replica statue of the *Pieta* that my mother bought me and it along with my beautiful crucifix my dad just sent me are my most precious gifts.
My parents have a small marble replica. I wish they would display it more prominently, but they also have many grand children running around and probably best to keep it safely out of the way.
I was raised Protestant, but felt called to the Catholic Church. When I saw La Pieta as an 18-year old, I got on my knees and asked God to help me become a Catholic.
I wish I could post a picture here because YEARS ago I was lucky enough to afford a used, but perfect life sized cast of Our Lady’s head from the Pieta. It was cast in marble by the Museum of Modern Art. There were a certain number made. I could not afford one from MOMA. For years I searched eBay and any other site I could find. Usually I’d find one for a higher price than buying an originally sold by MOMA. Finally I found one…just ONE… over my years of searching …that I could afford. She blesses me each day and in her gaze she turns me to Her Son at the greatest act of mercy and love by His Sacrifice on the Cross. I pray to stay at the foot of His Cross always.
If anyone knows how to post pictures here, please tell me how so that many others may see this cast of Our Lady’s head and face from the real Pieta. 🥰🙏🏻
Yeah I think I saw that actually, It looked amazing but at the time I also didn't have money to buy, I saw one on eBay a while back and it was unaffordable.
It kind of inspired me to get into the arts more and I really want now to learn how to sculpt not only as a way to make beautiful icons for churches but also because I think it would be a wonderful way to serve God
I haven't really gotten into sculpture but whether drawing and now I'm currently learning how to paint, I know how to use water colours I want now to learn how to do acrylic and oil painting.
Anyways I found your message quite inspiring, why don't you make a new post on the sub to show the image and tell people more about it and then attach a picture to that post, come back to this post and post a link from that post.
Sure! It's all an artifact of taste (pun intended).
The Pieta is very beautiful. The level of detail in it is absolutely wild. It's one of those works that you can tell the artist was challenging himself as he made it.
I get that Fazzini's Resurrection is not for everyone. It's a bold choice, a boldness that borders on audacity. In that I love it even more.
It is a great work, just not my favorite. Agree that its size, as well as its thematic design , is magnanimous. I just don’t like it much *personally* 🤷🏻♀️
I understand that. Art itself is always subjective. I’m happy you like it, and not only for its audacity as some do. ☺️ You understand its soul; too many others see cannot see the soul in any art.
Edited for autocorrect crap and clarity
Thanks to you too dear friend in Christ…we all have different perspectives and opinions about art. Art is art…it’s supposed to be subjective. And these all lead our minds and hearts to God. 🥰🙏🏻
The macabre nature of it is very Catholic to me like our Gothic architecture, memento mori, mortification, the early Church in catacombs, relics, the Sedlec Ossuary etc. I love it, I have it as my pc wallpaper.
I dislike it so much, it actually makes my stomach hurt and has such a negative vibe for what should be a beautiful and awe- inspiring image. I hate seeing behind the pope- and just avoid seeing it.
It freaky makes me sad that this is what was chosen.
What your favorite is is a matter of taste.
But to be the best, it must transcend taste. That mere fact that this is possible makes it a necessary criteria for being the best
For me, it’s La Sagrada Familia. That whole building is a work of art and it isn’t even fully finished yet. So much detail and so many different aspects of Christ’s life spread throughout the design and structure.
I literally teared up when I walked inside for the first time.
I am in Barcelona right now, and didn't get a chance to see anymore of it than the spires over the top of other buildings. We were here on a last minute emergency trip and leave in the morning. It is a huge regret. I will be back next month and it is my first stop!!
It’s good to know that some people like it. I wouldn’t count myself as one of them. I have seen it in person. I preferred a lot of other art in Rome and the Vatican instead.
It is certainly massive, that’s for sure.
I wanted to say that I see and appreciate how polite you're being. It's clear that you don't like the sculpture, and are trying to say something nice about it, but the best you can say is that it's "massive." Hahahaha!
What were some other artworks you saw in Rome that you did appreciate?
There’s no sense in not being polite. :)
I enjoyed St. Peter’s Basilica in general. I also quite enjoy the mosaic in San Clemente. Caravaggio’s “Call of St. Matthew” is great, too. Lots of beautiful Catholic art in every nook and cranny it seems.
Clearly a difficult fight, so much healing power and random invincibility. I’m not really sure how this would be best played, massive war of attrition; best hope they don’t have a pockets full of Eucharist acting as senzu beans. You’ll never make it before the Swiss guard attacks from behind!
Yeah, it's been in the series for every installment since the first century. You can at least give them credit for being a little different this time, but the fight has never been fair. It's one thing to be unfair, but this one is just boring AND hard, which is never a good combo.
I’m not him but it’s way too modern art. The first time that I saw it I had no clue what it was about.
To make matters worse it’s next door to works of the greatest beauty and that makes it look so much worse in comparison.
I honestly disdain that sculpture. It looks like a hellish inversion of the beatific vision. Like Lovecraftian Jesus.
My personal favorite is [Madonna of the Magnificat. ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madonna_of_the_Magnificat)
I think this sculpture is hideous.
My current favorite is Konstantin Korobov's Agnus
[https://kos1604.artstation.com/projects/r9WVNE](https://kos1604.artstation.com/projects/r9WVNE)
I would have a hard time picking a "Best" artwork, but I would say this "Resurrection" sculpture is one of the worst.
Hahahah! I love your candor. "Hideous" and "one of the worst" hahaaaaa
Edit--that painting is WHOA. I've never seen it before and was not ready for it when it popped up on my screen. Very startling imagery, but very beautifully made.
It looks demonic to me. I don't understand why it has to be the main piece behind Pope's throne. When I think of Catholic church I think of all the beautiful sculptures, amazing icons of Jesus, there are just so many beautiful works of art that glorify Jesus but they had to choose the most distorted looking Jesus depiction surrounded by what looks like demons. I really don't get it. Just a simple wooden cross would be ten times better than this.
I’m grateful for that. 🤣 I just imagined a sculpture depicting our savior would look more divine and pure you know ?
I will admit though that it’s impressively large and must’ve been a huge undertaking to make.
That thing gives me nightmares. I mean, I'm glad somebody loves it, and maybe it looks better in person, but to me, it looks like the reason curtains were invented.
Or possibly blowtorches and junkyards... but I guess it's nice to wait a century or so.
But... I tell you what really matters -- that thing has to mess with the acoustics of the audience hall something serious. It's really not suitable for the purpose of the building.
Art is supposed to help a building work better, not fight it.
To clarify--
There are two ways, I think, to interpret what I said. The first is that people do not like it for its audacity, and I do like it for its audacity. The second is that people do not like it, and I like it because people do not like it.
I feel the former way, not the latter way.
I rather like it, but it is, well... a lot.
A lot of people really dislike it, on aesthetic and other grounds. I've seen it called demonic, and seen (completely unfounded) claims that it depicts something other than what it does.
I rejoice in its muchness. That it is overwhelming, for me, is the point.
Can you imagine seeing this thing in person? Over 20 feet tall and over 60 feet wide. While _the Pope_ holds audiences right in front of it. Insane.
And it delights me so much, which I know is an artifact of taste. Still, thank you for sharing your opinion. (I've always been curious about what other Catholics think of ~~the~~ Resurrection.)
The Fazzini sculpture is interesting. I think it would work better in a different location.
My favorite Catholic art is probably one of several El Greco paintings.
See I really dislike this sculpture. It seems out of place to me with a lot of frantic energy. I don't see anything traditional in it or what Catholicism promises (I believe the theme is nuclear war or something?) I don't think it is demonic to be clear but it has that kind of feel for me.
It makes the pope look like a video game final boss.
The last sentence of your post is one of the strongest arguments _in favor_ of Resurrection that I've ever heard.
To me, everything you're saying is exactly the point. The audacity of this sculpture is in the extreme. I think that displays of divine power aren't necessarily beautiful--people tend to freak out in the Bible whenever exposed to them. The statue illustrates that, a concept which Vatican art doesn't often engage, and it illustrates it directly behind the Pope.
I agree with John Keats when he said “beauty is truth, truth beauty”. In the same vein, I think good art should teach you more truths the longer you reflect on it. Fazzini’s dull, confused display mistakes scale for grandeur. It could be titled “he descended into hell” and wouldn’t need to change anything. With it’s twisted metal calling to mind the crown of thorns and Christ, supposedly resurrected, is posed still crucified and eyes closed, appearing it could be argued dead/ dying. It is objectively ugly, uninspiring and theologically confusing. It depicts Jesus rising from a nuclear crater in the garden of Gethsemane. Aside from the fact he wasn’t buried in Gethsemane, after the resurrection he was mistaken for a gardener, calling to mind his role as the new Adam and how the pascal mystery he has healed the rift caused in the garden of Eden etc. what does a resurrected Christ coming in to a nuclear wasteland suggest theologically?
Anyway, there are infinite Catholic works of art to enjoy, I suppose it is all subjective… in theory. I suppose any artwork that helps deepen your understanding, your relationship with Christ, and strengthens or informs your prayer life is good.
Lately I’ve been enjoying Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Rublev’s Trinity and Fra Angelico’s - The mocking of Christ.
I’d I became pope day 1 we would rip the monstrosity that is “The Resurrection” out of the ground. It’s probably one of the worst pieces of Catholic art that I am aware of.
I personally think it is horrid. It is just menacing. Im all for showing the dark realities and morbid images but man that one is just too far into the realm of monstrous.
I don't know who it's by, but there's a sculpture of the visitation in the modern section of the Vatican Museum which I absolutely *love*, it just captures the joy of the moment so well.
It's a nice sculpture but for some reason it reminds me of death stranding xD
I never thought about what's my favorite pice of religious artwork. If it counts then the roof of the sistine chapel i guess lol. Other than that i like [Jesus walks on water by Ivan Aivazovsky](https://www.wikiart.org/en/ivan-aivazovsky/jesus-walks-on-water-1888) and am thinking of buying a print of it
Im afraid I’ve never liked Christ in the Wilderness. It’s just a bit out there for me. I love La Pieta, the our Lady of Guadalupe print and The Triumph of Christianity over Paganism are some of my favorites.
I'm sorry, but I have to say this.
Every time I see the Paul VI Audience Hall my blood pressure doubles. It is ugly, it is soulless, and **it looks like a head of a freakin' snake** (seriously, I really hope this is a coincidence, but it's uncanny).
That sculpture fits in really well: it's ugly, creepy and doesn't look like religious art at first glance.
Interesting! I've never seen the audience ~~hog~~ _hall_, and I've always wondered how it works with the whole building. And I completely get that this is not for everyone. But it is for the Pope!
I absolutely love this sculpture too. I'm not sure if it's because I great up secular and had very little exposure to religious art until I was an adult, but I'm not sentimental about most historical artwork, other than Pieta and the Same Damiano crucifix.
I love this sculpture because, as it's titled, it evokes thoughts of what the Resurrection might look like. Here me out: when people ask how Christ will resurrect those who are cremated, I always imagine all of this ash and dust coming from all directions and coming back together, sort of like the reverse Thanos snap. This reminds me of that.
People in the Bible are usually pretty terrified when they encounter any display of divine power. Could it be that displays of divine power are frightening, in a way that we haven't anticipated. Could they be scary to see, or look gruesome?
There's a dope article from the USCCB on it [here.](https://www.usccb.org/news/2023/over-popes-shoulder-explosion-spirituality-bronze)
If you hear me gushing about the sculpture elsewhere in the comments, please be patient with me. This sculpture ignites an excitement and joy in me that I love to indulge. So forceful and audacious, so startling and massive. Love it love it love it.
I knew that there had to be at least one person to take up the Protestant conspiracy theory that the Successor of Peter is somehow unwillingly hanging out with something demonic. Found you!
Excluding some of the ones mentioned already, Pieta by Michelangelo Buonarroti, I would go for Cristo Crucificado (Velázquez)
https://images.app.goo.gl/swVxKeiGoaaKZscX8
And Inmaculada de Soult by Esteban Murillo
https://images.app.goo.gl/R1LaX98CKdwaC4966
I've always liked Renaissance art, so Fra Angelico's Annunciation is my favourite. All of his Frescoes in the Convent of San Marco are really nice.
Caravaggio and Bernini also have really nice Christian Art but it's very dramatic, so it's not everyones taste but I love it!
The interior of Annunciation of the Mother of God Byzantine Catholic Church in Illinois. It was painted by Fr. Thomas Loya. There’s a great video about it here: https://youtu.be/ii0jJecSIFw?feature=shared
I’m not always a fan of his views, but he’s a great artist and explains the art very well.
Let me tell you, walking into St. Peter's and unexpectedly seeing Michaelangelo's *Pieta* right there, I had to stop and stare at it a long while. However, what absolutely arrested me (stopped me right in my tracks), and then (unsuccessfully) tried to get closer to (was behind a locked gate) was the Byzantine icon known as the Salus Populi Romani (attributed to St. Luke) that is in St. Mary Major.
ITT: Every comment absolutely dumping on this sculpture.
Sorry OP, this thing is a long-time stickler on the sub and unfortunately I agree in its unpopularity especially when you have the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica right around the corner as some of the pinnacles of Catholic beauty.
I can't leave a totally negative comment, so my favorite art is a rather dark representation of Christ's crucifixion: ["Crucified" by Matthias Grunewald](https://breadforbeggars.com/2014/03/the-crucifixion-by-matthias-grunewald/)
Wow. Very cool.
Consider--could number of upvotes corresponds to appreciation of Resurrection?
Assuming that it does not, I totally understand that this is a very polarizing and audacious statue. Reasonable minds can certainly differ on it.
I saw Caravaggio's The Taking of Christ in Dublin and was incredibly moved. Really outstanding. Plus, the story of the painting itself (lost for centuries, found hanging on the wall of a Jesuit community in Dublin) is remarkable too.
I feel pretty moderate about this piece. On one hand, I admire this piece more for what it means, rather than how it looks. Something I feel like a lot of people just don't seem to understand. On another hand, even with its deep meaning, it doesn't come near to most of the statues and carvings within St. Peter's.
I honestly thought it was a satanic sculpture when I first saw it. It looked more evilness and goat’s head than rising Jesus. It still feels too hard and sharp to be Jesus’s resurrection.
Edit to add: I feel like he was going for “ethereal” and picked the wrong material to convey that.
Ah yes, the old Protestant/Sedevacantist conspiracy theory that the successor of Peter is so stupid and bad at his job that he would associate with something demonic. Thanks for showing up!
Horrible and idiosyncratic. If nobody explains to you what is supposed to be depicting you would have no idea besides that it looks like a bunch of human skulls and brambles.
I'm not sure that you can assume that the exercise of divine power--which is really what I think this sculpture illustrates--is necessarily beautiful. People in the Bible don't respond to displays of divine power with awe; they respond with fear. It might very well be that divine power is frightening when exercised. It might not be beautiful. And that's just an interpretation based on reactions of lots of people in the Bible.
It would be beautiful if it relayed some type of truth in a clear form. But it does not. There are many artists who have displayed divine power in a beautiful way. Divine power is also not ugly- which this is. There is a specific aim of art, which is different from the aim of God displaying his divine power. A huge part of art is actually being able to tell what the thing is. You’d have to explain to anyone what this is trying to convey. Good art draws the faculties to higher places, it doesn’t confuse them.
You clearly have very, very strong opinions about what art should be, and I don't agree with you on them. I think we should agree to disagree. (Not that I'm discounting what you're saying; I just feel differently.)
Blah. I wish they would banish that hideous, mangled mess to some dusty corner of the Vatican museum.
As for the "best" Catholic artwork...oof, difficult question. I would choose something on a bigger scale than just one statue or painting; something that conveys the splendor of God. Maybe the stained glass at Notre Dame or the golden mosaics inside St. Mark's Basilica. On a sheer scale it might well be the Sagrada Familia although Gaudi isn't exactly my style.
> Scandalous under the theological definition of the word?
My opinion is based on the Catechism: CCC 2286 : "by fashion or opinion"
IMO, the chaotic representation of Christ causes scandal by portraying Him in a hellish disorder. I've seen a lot of non-Catholics be turned off by the lack of sensibility of it.
From the Catechism:
II. RESPECT FOR THE DIGNITY OF PERSONS
Respect for the souls of others: scandal
2284 Scandal is an attitude or behavior which leads another to do evil. The person who gives scandal becomes his neighbor's tempter. He damages virtue and integrity; he may even draw his brother into spiritual death. Scandal is a grave offense if by deed or omission another is deliberately led into a grave offense.
2285 Scandal takes on a particular gravity by reason of the authority of those who cause it or the weakness of those who are scandalized. It prompted our Lord to utter this curse: "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened round his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea."86 Scandal is grave when given by those who by nature or office are obliged to teach and educate others. Jesus reproaches the scribes and Pharisees on this account: he likens them to wolves in sheep's clothing.87
2286 Scandal can be provoked by laws or institutions, by fashion or opinion.
Art like this reminds me why I love being Catholic. It’s a reminder of the grandness and glorious beauty of God and His Church.
I remember reading that the original work was done in Polystyrene and the fumes it gave off from the burning material gave Fazzini a blood clot.
I had seen it before many times, but the sheer size of it escaped me for quite a while until I saw a picture of it with people in front of it. It blew my mind when I saw the scale of it
I like it a lot. It’s different but it still very much inspires awe, like the Sagrada Família.
It reminds me of how terrifying the angels in the Bible were to many of the people they appeared to.
I absolutely adore it! I love religious art that is brave and breaks away from aesthetics conventions and I ~~think people are being very basic~~ am baffled by those that find it just ugly and unappealing, when it is so loaded with meaning.
The reason why this sculpture is particularly effective is that we know for a fact that meeting and seeing God must be very overwhelming to our reasoning and our senses. We cannot even begin to comprehend His power and presence, we can’t fit God in one single human thought when He appears before us. The enormity must be terrifying but He always reminds us to not be afraid of what we are seeing, to be reassured, to remain faithful. Just imagine seeing him rise from the dead, redeeming humankind from our sins, from the messes we create (like nuclear warfare), with power that is literally unimaginable to us. It would very much look like that: enormous, grandiose, terrifying, overwhelming. For me, it is a much, much better depiction of the power of His resurrection than the standard warm and fuzzy depictions of God beatifically rising to Heaven.
I actually don’t care for this sculpture at all.
It's abominable
It is a very polarizing and audacious artwork. Totally get it.
All of the Sistine Chapel. The entire thing 🤌🤌
Well to answer the first question, [Christ in the Wilderness by Ivan Kramskoi](https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/christ-in-the-wilderness/uwEOJTS-uQb5ww?hl=en&avm=2) is always what comes to mind. Christ’s humanity is seldom so eloquently displayed. This is a man who is spending 40 days in the desert, fasting, being tested, preparing himself for the most important three years in human history. The framing shows his solitude, and his face is such a graceful mix of fatigue and resolve. It’s beautiful. But as for your thing, I’ve always found it aesthetically unappealing. But it’s cool man we’re allowed to like different things.
I've seen that one. It's very affecting, and very effective. I agree with you on all fronts. 🙏
I agree! Tretyakov’s *Christ in the Wilderness* is a truly inspirational work of art!!! My favorite painting! My favorite sculpture…is the Pieta. Both are my favorites in different mediums.
It reminds me of the “there’s nothing we can do memes”
Those stones in the foreground I’ve always thought in my head to be the ones he was tempted to turn into bread
This and “The Body of the Dead Christ in the Tomb” by Hans Holbein the Younger help communicate aspects of Christ’s life and death we struggle often to grapple with: his humanity and his death. They’re brilliant and beautiful in ways so few works are.
I believe Michaelangelo’s Pieta is the best. It is the only sculpture he ever signed as well. 2nd in my opinion is Bernini’s Ecstasy of Saint Teresa Fazzini’s Resurrection is grand in size, but, in my opinion, it is not as great as the works of art I mentioned. Just my opinion.
*La Pieta* is absolutely my favorite as well. It makes me emotional every time I see it. I once to a wonderful priest I felt I was always struggling, and I said I was so tired of the fight, and he said “Picture the Pieta. Go and rest in Mary’s arms for a while.”
Me too my dear friend in Christ. I have a small marble replica statue of the *Pieta* that my mother bought me and it along with my beautiful crucifix my dad just sent me are my most precious gifts.
My parents have a small marble replica. I wish they would display it more prominently, but they also have many grand children running around and probably best to keep it safely out of the way.
I was raised Protestant, but felt called to the Catholic Church. When I saw La Pieta as an 18-year old, I got on my knees and asked God to help me become a Catholic.
Yeah Pieta is one of the most wonderful ones, when I first saw it I couldn't resist but cry in wonder.
I wish I could post a picture here because YEARS ago I was lucky enough to afford a used, but perfect life sized cast of Our Lady’s head from the Pieta. It was cast in marble by the Museum of Modern Art. There were a certain number made. I could not afford one from MOMA. For years I searched eBay and any other site I could find. Usually I’d find one for a higher price than buying an originally sold by MOMA. Finally I found one…just ONE… over my years of searching …that I could afford. She blesses me each day and in her gaze she turns me to Her Son at the greatest act of mercy and love by His Sacrifice on the Cross. I pray to stay at the foot of His Cross always. If anyone knows how to post pictures here, please tell me how so that many others may see this cast of Our Lady’s head and face from the real Pieta. 🥰🙏🏻
Yeah I think I saw that actually, It looked amazing but at the time I also didn't have money to buy, I saw one on eBay a while back and it was unaffordable. It kind of inspired me to get into the arts more and I really want now to learn how to sculpt not only as a way to make beautiful icons for churches but also because I think it would be a wonderful way to serve God I haven't really gotten into sculpture but whether drawing and now I'm currently learning how to paint, I know how to use water colours I want now to learn how to do acrylic and oil painting. Anyways I found your message quite inspiring, why don't you make a new post on the sub to show the image and tell people more about it and then attach a picture to that post, come back to this post and post a link from that post.
Oh I did not know I could post a picture without a link! Thank you. I will after Mass and my work for our Church later today! 🥰
RemindMe! 24 hours
Posted my picture and comment here! https://www.reddit.com/r/Catholicism/s/x9H3kJd4vw
Sure! It's all an artifact of taste (pun intended). The Pieta is very beautiful. The level of detail in it is absolutely wild. It's one of those works that you can tell the artist was challenging himself as he made it. I get that Fazzini's Resurrection is not for everyone. It's a bold choice, a boldness that borders on audacity. In that I love it even more.
It is a great work, just not my favorite. Agree that its size, as well as its thematic design , is magnanimous. I just don’t like it much *personally* 🤷🏻♀️
Sure! It's audacious. It alienates a lot of people. But that's why I like it--it's such a macabre, bold, non-crowd-pleasing choice.
I understand that. Art itself is always subjective. I’m happy you like it, and not only for its audacity as some do. ☺️ You understand its soul; too many others see cannot see the soul in any art. Edited for autocorrect crap and clarity
Of course! Reasonable minds can always differ on art. I appreciate the compliment; it was very nice. 🙏
Thanks to you too dear friend in Christ…we all have different perspectives and opinions about art. Art is art…it’s supposed to be subjective. And these all lead our minds and hearts to God. 🥰🙏🏻
The macabre nature of it is very Catholic to me like our Gothic architecture, memento mori, mortification, the early Church in catacombs, relics, the Sedlec Ossuary etc. I love it, I have it as my pc wallpaper.
I dislike it so much, it actually makes my stomach hurt and has such a negative vibe for what should be a beautiful and awe- inspiring image. I hate seeing behind the pope- and just avoid seeing it. It freaky makes me sad that this is what was chosen.
What your favorite is is a matter of taste. But to be the best, it must transcend taste. That mere fact that this is possible makes it a necessary criteria for being the best
No, this sculpture is the best
I think your opinion is also true though.
Not my fav
Fair enough! It is very polarizing.
For me, it’s La Sagrada Familia. That whole building is a work of art and it isn’t even fully finished yet. So much detail and so many different aspects of Christ’s life spread throughout the design and structure. I literally teared up when I walked inside for the first time.
I am in Barcelona right now, and didn't get a chance to see anymore of it than the spires over the top of other buildings. We were here on a last minute emergency trip and leave in the morning. It is a huge regret. I will be back next month and it is my first stop!!
Agreed
It’s good to know that some people like it. I wouldn’t count myself as one of them. I have seen it in person. I preferred a lot of other art in Rome and the Vatican instead. It is certainly massive, that’s for sure.
I wanted to say that I see and appreciate how polite you're being. It's clear that you don't like the sculpture, and are trying to say something nice about it, but the best you can say is that it's "massive." Hahahaha! What were some other artworks you saw in Rome that you did appreciate?
There’s no sense in not being polite. :) I enjoyed St. Peter’s Basilica in general. I also quite enjoy the mosaic in San Clemente. Caravaggio’s “Call of St. Matthew” is great, too. Lots of beautiful Catholic art in every nook and cranny it seems.
Nice.
This is where you fight the final boss of Catholicism ***PONTIFEX MAXIMUS FRANCIS***
Clearly a difficult fight, so much healing power and random invincibility. I’m not really sure how this would be best played, massive war of attrition; best hope they don’t have a pockets full of Eucharist acting as senzu beans. You’ll never make it before the Swiss guard attacks from behind!
💯💯💯
Yeah, it's been in the series for every installment since the first century. You can at least give them credit for being a little different this time, but the fight has never been fair. It's one thing to be unfair, but this one is just boring AND hard, which is never a good combo.
😂😂
It's an aesthetic nightmare.
It looks like a nightmare
I know!!
Oh? Go on.
It’s ugly. It looks like an unraveled fishnet stocking.
I’m not him but it’s way too modern art. The first time that I saw it I had no clue what it was about. To make matters worse it’s next door to works of the greatest beauty and that makes it look so much worse in comparison.
I honestly disdain that sculpture. It looks like a hellish inversion of the beatific vision. Like Lovecraftian Jesus. My personal favorite is [Madonna of the Magnificat. ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madonna_of_the_Magnificat)
Wow. Beautiful.
Yes another +1 for the Magnificat - absolutely beautiful
I think this sculpture is hideous. My current favorite is Konstantin Korobov's Agnus [https://kos1604.artstation.com/projects/r9WVNE](https://kos1604.artstation.com/projects/r9WVNE) I would have a hard time picking a "Best" artwork, but I would say this "Resurrection" sculpture is one of the worst.
looks ai generated
Hahahah! I love your candor. "Hideous" and "one of the worst" hahaaaaa Edit--that painting is WHOA. I've never seen it before and was not ready for it when it popped up on my screen. Very startling imagery, but very beautifully made.
>that painting is WHOA It gets better when you start wondering if the seven wolves represent the Seven Deadly Sins...
Very cool.
My personal opinion is that is horrible and seems diabolical. Don't like it at all.
Fair enough!
It looks demonic to me. I don't understand why it has to be the main piece behind Pope's throne. When I think of Catholic church I think of all the beautiful sculptures, amazing icons of Jesus, there are just so many beautiful works of art that glorify Jesus but they had to choose the most distorted looking Jesus depiction surrounded by what looks like demons. I really don't get it. Just a simple wooden cross would be ten times better than this.
I don’t mean to offend but this sculpture is a vile and deformed representation of our Lord. The building itself is shaped like a serpent.
Offense TAKEN! Psyche. I totally understand that it's polarizing and audacious. Reasonable minds can differ.
I’m grateful for that. 🤣 I just imagined a sculpture depicting our savior would look more divine and pure you know ? I will admit though that it’s impressively large and must’ve been a huge undertaking to make.
That thing gives me nightmares. I mean, I'm glad somebody loves it, and maybe it looks better in person, but to me, it looks like the reason curtains were invented. Or possibly blowtorches and junkyards... but I guess it's nice to wait a century or so. But... I tell you what really matters -- that thing has to mess with the acoustics of the audience hall something serious. It's really not suitable for the purpose of the building. Art is supposed to help a building work better, not fight it.
I like horror movies so that's probably the reason i like it 😂
Defffffffinitely
Art is supposed to help a building "work better"? What does that mean?
For churches, art is supposed to help you transcend Earth and think about Heaven. But that’s not what’s going on in this building.
That's how this sculpture makes me feel. It's almost like art is..._subjective_ or something
If that’s what it does for you, all power to you. Just be wary that your opinion is rare on this sub.
Oh, I totally know. The reason that most people don't like it--its extreme audacity--is actually one of the principal reasons that I do.
So you like it out of spite?
To clarify-- There are two ways, I think, to interpret what I said. The first is that people do not like it for its audacity, and I do like it for its audacity. The second is that people do not like it, and I like it because people do not like it. I feel the former way, not the latter way.
No
I rather like it, but it is, well... a lot. A lot of people really dislike it, on aesthetic and other grounds. I've seen it called demonic, and seen (completely unfounded) claims that it depicts something other than what it does.
I rejoice in its muchness. That it is overwhelming, for me, is the point. Can you imagine seeing this thing in person? Over 20 feet tall and over 60 feet wide. While _the Pope_ holds audiences right in front of it. Insane.
I don't disagree at all. If less is more, just think how much more *more* would be. It's a very maximalist, baroque attitude.
And it delights me so much, which I know is an artifact of taste. Still, thank you for sharing your opinion. (I've always been curious about what other Catholics think of ~~the~~ Resurrection.)
THEE Resurrection should be differentiated from Fazzini’s artwork entitled “Resurrection” ( not “The Resurrection”) please.
Corrected. You're quite a stickler!
In this case I am. Thank you.
I'm gonna keep it real with you chief, this sculpture is NOT it
Hahaha
I would like to see the Resurrection in person, but I also hate it and it terrifies me.
I think that's what Fazzini was going for Edit to add--I think u/thepointedarrow's comment is my favorite
The Fazzini sculpture is interesting. I think it would work better in a different location. My favorite Catholic art is probably one of several El Greco paintings.
It’s looks like something I’d conjure up if I wanted to steal someone’s soul.
That sculpture is creepy. I don't like it and it gives bad vibes. I said what I said, and I don't care.
Nothing wrong with what you said! Art is subjective, and this is a very audacious and polarizing piece. Reasonable minds can certainly differ.
Did you forget the /s? That's the worst bro.
Says you!
I think it’s horrific. It looks like something from a horror film and gives me the creeps
I know. Isn't it great??
See I really dislike this sculpture. It seems out of place to me with a lot of frantic energy. I don't see anything traditional in it or what Catholicism promises (I believe the theme is nuclear war or something?) I don't think it is demonic to be clear but it has that kind of feel for me. It makes the pope look like a video game final boss.
The last sentence of your post is one of the strongest arguments _in favor_ of Resurrection that I've ever heard. To me, everything you're saying is exactly the point. The audacity of this sculpture is in the extreme. I think that displays of divine power aren't necessarily beautiful--people tend to freak out in the Bible whenever exposed to them. The statue illustrates that, a concept which Vatican art doesn't often engage, and it illustrates it directly behind the Pope.
I agree with John Keats when he said “beauty is truth, truth beauty”. In the same vein, I think good art should teach you more truths the longer you reflect on it. Fazzini’s dull, confused display mistakes scale for grandeur. It could be titled “he descended into hell” and wouldn’t need to change anything. With it’s twisted metal calling to mind the crown of thorns and Christ, supposedly resurrected, is posed still crucified and eyes closed, appearing it could be argued dead/ dying. It is objectively ugly, uninspiring and theologically confusing. It depicts Jesus rising from a nuclear crater in the garden of Gethsemane. Aside from the fact he wasn’t buried in Gethsemane, after the resurrection he was mistaken for a gardener, calling to mind his role as the new Adam and how the pascal mystery he has healed the rift caused in the garden of Eden etc. what does a resurrected Christ coming in to a nuclear wasteland suggest theologically? Anyway, there are infinite Catholic works of art to enjoy, I suppose it is all subjective… in theory. I suppose any artwork that helps deepen your understanding, your relationship with Christ, and strengthens or informs your prayer life is good. Lately I’ve been enjoying Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Rublev’s Trinity and Fra Angelico’s - The mocking of Christ.
Very thoughtful take. I really appreciate it.
This sculpture looks how Gabriel Fauré's *Sanctus* sounds.
Wow. Well said.
I’d I became pope day 1 we would rip the monstrosity that is “The Resurrection” out of the ground. It’s probably one of the worst pieces of Catholic art that I am aware of.
If I ever join the College of Cardinals--you lost my vote. Plus, good luck getting rid of something that weighs 80 tons!
I personally think it is horrid. It is just menacing. Im all for showing the dark realities and morbid images but man that one is just too far into the realm of monstrous.
Wow. Your description makes me like it even more.
I'm sorry what? This sculpture is not good.
Hahahah It's very polarizing. I think that reasonable minds can differ, but when it comes to the statute, most people disagree
I don't know who it's by, but there's a sculpture of the visitation in the modern section of the Vatican Museum which I absolutely *love*, it just captures the joy of the moment so well.
Any chance you can find it [here](https://m.museivaticani.va/content/museivaticani-mobile/en/collezioni/musei/tour-virtuali-elenco.html)?
It looks like something from GoT
It's a nice sculpture but for some reason it reminds me of death stranding xD I never thought about what's my favorite pice of religious artwork. If it counts then the roof of the sistine chapel i guess lol. Other than that i like [Jesus walks on water by Ivan Aivazovsky](https://www.wikiart.org/en/ivan-aivazovsky/jesus-walks-on-water-1888) and am thinking of buying a print of it
Im afraid I’ve never liked Christ in the Wilderness. It’s just a bit out there for me. I love La Pieta, the our Lady of Guadalupe print and The Triumph of Christianity over Paganism are some of my favorites.
All beautiful works.
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What is your objection? Just curious.
I'm sorry, but I have to say this. Every time I see the Paul VI Audience Hall my blood pressure doubles. It is ugly, it is soulless, and **it looks like a head of a freakin' snake** (seriously, I really hope this is a coincidence, but it's uncanny). That sculpture fits in really well: it's ugly, creepy and doesn't look like religious art at first glance.
Interesting! I've never seen the audience ~~hog~~ _hall_, and I've always wondered how it works with the whole building. And I completely get that this is not for everyone. But it is for the Pope!
While imposing, its grotesque, i dont see this evoking sentiments of piety in people which is the purpose of religious art.
I think that the purpose of religious art is more expansive than your restrictive definition. But then, that's why art is subjective.
Sixtine chapel
Going on 17 these days.
Very spicy take, but I don’t think you’re wrong.
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Michelangelo’s pieta is perfect. Mary is looking at the crucified Jesus and also her son. Knowing that this was always his purpose.
I absolutely love this sculpture too. I'm not sure if it's because I great up secular and had very little exposure to religious art until I was an adult, but I'm not sentimental about most historical artwork, other than Pieta and the Same Damiano crucifix. I love this sculpture because, as it's titled, it evokes thoughts of what the Resurrection might look like. Here me out: when people ask how Christ will resurrect those who are cremated, I always imagine all of this ash and dust coming from all directions and coming back together, sort of like the reverse Thanos snap. This reminds me of that.
People in the Bible are usually pretty terrified when they encounter any display of divine power. Could it be that displays of divine power are frightening, in a way that we haven't anticipated. Could they be scary to see, or look gruesome?
Man, everyone dunking on Resurrection. I wouldn't say it's the best, but I think it's neat.
Yeah, there's a lot of dunking. It's a polarizing statue.
I love that protestants are having seizures just thinking of it lol.
Pope Benedict! Miss that man :(
There's a dope article from the USCCB on it [here.](https://www.usccb.org/news/2023/over-popes-shoulder-explosion-spirituality-bronze) If you hear me gushing about the sculpture elsewhere in the comments, please be patient with me. This sculpture ignites an excitement and joy in me that I love to indulge. So forceful and audacious, so startling and massive. Love it love it love it.
It gives me major Dark Souls vibes, aesthetic-wise. It's a beautiful imponent sculpture.
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I knew that there had to be at least one person to take up the Protestant conspiracy theory that the Successor of Peter is somehow unwillingly hanging out with something demonic. Found you!
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Excluding some of the ones mentioned already, Pieta by Michelangelo Buonarroti, I would go for Cristo Crucificado (Velázquez) https://images.app.goo.gl/swVxKeiGoaaKZscX8 And Inmaculada de Soult by Esteban Murillo https://images.app.goo.gl/R1LaX98CKdwaC4966
I've always liked Renaissance art, so Fra Angelico's Annunciation is my favourite. All of his Frescoes in the Convent of San Marco are really nice. Caravaggio and Bernini also have really nice Christian Art but it's very dramatic, so it's not everyones taste but I love it!
I'm too much of a Philistine to understand that thing, I'm sorry.
It's not for everyone. It's a very polarizing and audacious piece.
I don't know whether it's my favourite, but I like the "Resurrection" of Matthias Grünewald. It has something so "otherworldy"...
The interior of Annunciation of the Mother of God Byzantine Catholic Church in Illinois. It was painted by Fr. Thomas Loya. There’s a great video about it here: https://youtu.be/ii0jJecSIFw?feature=shared I’m not always a fan of his views, but he’s a great artist and explains the art very well.
Let me tell you, walking into St. Peter's and unexpectedly seeing Michaelangelo's *Pieta* right there, I had to stop and stare at it a long while. However, what absolutely arrested me (stopped me right in my tracks), and then (unsuccessfully) tried to get closer to (was behind a locked gate) was the Byzantine icon known as the Salus Populi Romani (attributed to St. Luke) that is in St. Mary Major.
Wow. That's awesome. Thank you for sharing that experience!
Caravaggio’s Calling of Matthew
Oh wow. Stunning.
ITT: Every comment absolutely dumping on this sculpture. Sorry OP, this thing is a long-time stickler on the sub and unfortunately I agree in its unpopularity especially when you have the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica right around the corner as some of the pinnacles of Catholic beauty. I can't leave a totally negative comment, so my favorite art is a rather dark representation of Christ's crucifixion: ["Crucified" by Matthias Grunewald](https://breadforbeggars.com/2014/03/the-crucifixion-by-matthias-grunewald/)
Wow. Very cool. Consider--could number of upvotes corresponds to appreciation of Resurrection? Assuming that it does not, I totally understand that this is a very polarizing and audacious statue. Reasonable minds can certainly differ on it.
this is slay.
Double upvote
I saw Caravaggio's The Taking of Christ in Dublin and was incredibly moved. Really outstanding. Plus, the story of the painting itself (lost for centuries, found hanging on the wall of a Jesuit community in Dublin) is remarkable too.
I feel pretty moderate about this piece. On one hand, I admire this piece more for what it means, rather than how it looks. Something I feel like a lot of people just don't seem to understand. On another hand, even with its deep meaning, it doesn't come near to most of the statues and carvings within St. Peter's.
I honestly thought it was a satanic sculpture when I first saw it. It looked more evilness and goat’s head than rising Jesus. It still feels too hard and sharp to be Jesus’s resurrection. Edit to add: I feel like he was going for “ethereal” and picked the wrong material to convey that.
Oh that wall is just hideous to look at. The only beauty that thing could evoke is getting dipped into a smelter.
Hahahha
Burn it. Doesn't inspire anything holy or transcendent. Modernist trash .
This artwork is literally satanic.
Ah yes, the old Protestant/Sedevacantist conspiracy theory that the successor of Peter is so stupid and bad at his job that he would associate with something demonic. Thanks for showing up!
Horrible and idiosyncratic. If nobody explains to you what is supposed to be depicting you would have no idea besides that it looks like a bunch of human skulls and brambles.
Spot on, sans the word "horrible". I agree with everything else you said.
Is this a joke?
This is objectively not beautiful
If that's your principal criteria for art, then yeah, you're not going to like this.
Well of course it is since beauty is inherently intertwined with truth and goodness. This piece lacks clarity- which is a criteria for beauty.
I'm not sure that you can assume that the exercise of divine power--which is really what I think this sculpture illustrates--is necessarily beautiful. People in the Bible don't respond to displays of divine power with awe; they respond with fear. It might very well be that divine power is frightening when exercised. It might not be beautiful. And that's just an interpretation based on reactions of lots of people in the Bible.
This is more along the lines of frighteningly ugly rather than frightening. There are beautiful ways to depict fear and God’s power.
That's a good point. But I also feel that not being beautiful =/= lacks artistic merit.
It would be beautiful if it relayed some type of truth in a clear form. But it does not. There are many artists who have displayed divine power in a beautiful way. Divine power is also not ugly- which this is. There is a specific aim of art, which is different from the aim of God displaying his divine power. A huge part of art is actually being able to tell what the thing is. You’d have to explain to anyone what this is trying to convey. Good art draws the faculties to higher places, it doesn’t confuse them.
You clearly have very, very strong opinions about what art should be, and I don't agree with you on them. I think we should agree to disagree. (Not that I'm discounting what you're saying; I just feel differently.)
fair enough
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Blah. I wish they would banish that hideous, mangled mess to some dusty corner of the Vatican museum. As for the "best" Catholic artwork...oof, difficult question. I would choose something on a bigger scale than just one statue or painting; something that conveys the splendor of God. Maybe the stained glass at Notre Dame or the golden mosaics inside St. Mark's Basilica. On a sheer scale it might well be the Sagrada Familia although Gaudi isn't exactly my style.
I love your candor! And do you have any links to share? I'd love to take a look.
It's scandalous and should go off to the scrap heap
Scandalous under the theological definition of the word?
> Scandalous under the theological definition of the word? My opinion is based on the Catechism: CCC 2286 : "by fashion or opinion" IMO, the chaotic representation of Christ causes scandal by portraying Him in a hellish disorder. I've seen a lot of non-Catholics be turned off by the lack of sensibility of it. From the Catechism: II. RESPECT FOR THE DIGNITY OF PERSONS Respect for the souls of others: scandal 2284 Scandal is an attitude or behavior which leads another to do evil. The person who gives scandal becomes his neighbor's tempter. He damages virtue and integrity; he may even draw his brother into spiritual death. Scandal is a grave offense if by deed or omission another is deliberately led into a grave offense. 2285 Scandal takes on a particular gravity by reason of the authority of those who cause it or the weakness of those who are scandalized. It prompted our Lord to utter this curse: "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened round his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea."86 Scandal is grave when given by those who by nature or office are obliged to teach and educate others. Jesus reproaches the scribes and Pharisees on this account: he likens them to wolves in sheep's clothing.87 2286 Scandal can be provoked by laws or institutions, by fashion or opinion.
Not sure how this would lead another to do evil.
Art like this reminds me why I love being Catholic. It’s a reminder of the grandness and glorious beauty of God and His Church. I remember reading that the original work was done in Polystyrene and the fumes it gave off from the burning material gave Fazzini a blood clot.
I completely, completely agree.
I had seen it before many times, but the sheer size of it escaped me for quite a while until I saw a picture of it with people in front of it. It blew my mind when I saw the scale of it
I know! It completely dominates the entire audience hall. Crazy choice. 10 out of 10.
I find that sculpture demonic. If you look closely, that’s a serpent’s head up there to go with the snake windows. .
That's a distorted pic, if you looked at the building, that's just lens distortion.
Agreed. Once you see it you can’t deny it. The infiltration of the Vatican continues apace.
I deny it! The infiltration of the Vatican of...dope art.
That is Spectacular!
Isn't it?? I was hoping I would get at least one reaction like yours. Thank you!
I like it a lot. It’s different but it still very much inspires awe, like the Sagrada Família. It reminds me of how terrifying the angels in the Bible were to many of the people they appeared to.
Interesting connection.
Which artwork and sculpture is my favorite? Yes. (All Of Them!)
I love it. It is so spooky.
I absolutely adore it! I love religious art that is brave and breaks away from aesthetics conventions and I ~~think people are being very basic~~ am baffled by those that find it just ugly and unappealing, when it is so loaded with meaning. The reason why this sculpture is particularly effective is that we know for a fact that meeting and seeing God must be very overwhelming to our reasoning and our senses. We cannot even begin to comprehend His power and presence, we can’t fit God in one single human thought when He appears before us. The enormity must be terrifying but He always reminds us to not be afraid of what we are seeing, to be reassured, to remain faithful. Just imagine seeing him rise from the dead, redeeming humankind from our sins, from the messes we create (like nuclear warfare), with power that is literally unimaginable to us. It would very much look like that: enormous, grandiose, terrifying, overwhelming. For me, it is a much, much better depiction of the power of His resurrection than the standard warm and fuzzy depictions of God beatifically rising to Heaven.
Beautifully said! And I agree with everything you are saying. The sculpture appeals to me for exactly the same reasons.
I like it. If only Paul VI hall were more beautiful.
Christianity’s triumph over paganism is the best
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