Portrait of the baptist.

Saint

Mother & Child

Home time.

Italian visit is coming to an end, soon i'll post photo's of the "work" i've done.

Where's your piece of YBA?

Mine's saved on my computer.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/charlottehigginsblog/2008/dec/09/art

Discovered last week that a few Accademia Students will be exchanging with students from Cleveland College of Art & Design, my previous college, in my home town.

I've offered my services to the students, to help them setting up in Middlesbrough, and to warn them. Ha.

So far no one has contacted me... just wait until they get there!

Identity

The identity of the character is obviously an integral part to any religious work, however their true identities are lost after years of interpretation in european art.

The most foremost characters in religious paintings are often depicted with relics based on their lives or often deaths.

I have complied a list of those who i have come across.

Jesus of Nazareth - often holding a piece of fruit or a flower.
St. Mary (Madonna) - Also holding fruit/peach.
St. Peter - Keys, Book, Popes robes.
St. Paul/Saul of Tarsus - Sword/Knife.
St. John - Serpent in a Challis, Book, Eagle, Cauldron.
St. Matthew the Evangelist - Tax book.
St. Thomas - Square, Spear, Finger testing the resurrected Christ's wounds.
St. Bartholomew - Flayed Alive, Holding Skin,
St. Philip the Apostle - Tau Cross, holding basket of Bread.
St. Andrew - Holding scroll, Saltire.
St. James (Maj), son of Zebedee - Scallop, Fisherman's hat.
St. James (Min), son of Alphaeus - Carpenters Saw, Fullers Club, Book.
St. Jude Thaddeus - Axe, Club, Boat, Oar, I.H.S Medallion.
St. Simon the Zealot - Boat, Cross and Saw, Fish (or two fish), Lance, Man being sawn in two longitudinally, Oar.
Judas Iscariot - Bag of Money, 30 pieces of Silver, noose.
St. John the Baptist - Ragged Clothing, staff.
St. Mary Magdalene - Pot of perfume, Red Egg, At the feet of Christ.
St. Peter of Verona - Sword in head and chest, Palm.
St. Nicholas - Baubells
St. Benedict - Book, Staff.
St. Sebastian - Arrows, Tree.
St. Roch - Stabbed in leg, Cloth tied to staff, Bag.
St. Job - Sores
St. Gotthard of Hildesheim - Bishops robes, Book.
St. Helena of Constantinople - Cross
St. Constantine the Great - Armour, Chains, Crown.
St. Francis of Assisi - Stigmata, Grey Robes.
St. Bernardo of Sienna - Grey cloak, Book, IHS Medallion.
St. Jerome - Stone in Hand, Book, Skull, Lion, Red Robes & Hat, Crucifix, Hour glass. (Doctor of the church)
St. Barbara - Castle, Lightning, Palm.
St. Cyprian - Bishops Robes, Palm.
St. Catherine of Alexandria - Wheel, Sword.
St. Clare - Lamp,
St. Dominic - Book, Black and White Robes, Monk.
St. Anthony the Great - Bell, Red Robes.
St. Philip Benizi - Light, Palm.
St. Augustine - Books, dove, Bishops Robes. (Doctor of the Church)
St. Prosdocimus - Jar, Bishops Robes.
St. Scholastica - Dove, Beads, Book, Nun.
St. Pope Gregory the Great - Dove, Book. (Doctor of the Church)
St. Ambrose - Whip, Beehive, Bones. (Doctor of the church)
St. Justina of Padova - Sword in chest, Palm.
St. Stephen - Stones, Palm.
St. Alexander of Bergamo - Red Sword, Palm.
St. Julian - Staff, Book.
St. Lucy - Chalice, Dish, Eyes.
St. Louis of Toulouse - Gothic French Crest on cloak.
St. Vittore - Fur Robe, Palm.
St. Alexander Nevsky - Russian Robes, Armour.
St. George - Lance, Sword, Armour.
St. Apollonia - Tongs, Palm, Crown.
St. Nicholas of Tolentino - Augustinian holding Bread, Basket of Bread/Money, Crucifix with lilies, Star.
St. Michael - Archangel

I'd like to take a minute...

to talk about Mark Wallinger's 'Via Dolorosa'

The work, currently housed in the Duomo di Milano's crypt is a 17 minute clip of Franco Zaffirelli's, 'Jesus of Nazareth'. However Wallinger has blocked out all of the image with the exception of a two inch border, using this limited amount of information, its is just possible to determine what is going on, for example you can see the four points of the cross as the crucifixion is taking place and the indistinguishably roman, centurion's red feathered helmet.

I am discussing this as this seems to be the way in which my work is currently moving, there is a rich tapestry of religious art in italy (as i am sure you are aware) and each has a specific positive, composition (Raphael), Lighting (Carravagio) or utter genious (Michelangelo) and common enemy, the true depiction of the culture and ethnicity of Palestine.

However, the thing that interests me most is the (almost) universal image of Mary/Christ/Paul/Judas.