ECVA : Word&Image

John W. Dixon, Jr., Art as a Means of Thinking and of Grace

Much Christian art is simply (and legitimately) illustrations of a sacred story, that is, it portrays the appearance of the action. An artist who wants to go deeper than appearance presents it as narrative, that sets out the meaning of the event, the character, the intent, of those enacting the narrative.

Giotto is one of the great narrative artists of the Christian tradition. If we wish to understand the interpretation of Christian art, we can learn much from Giotto.

Take, almost at random, Giotto’s narrative of the Raising of Lazarus from the Arena Chapel in Padua. How does he make a narrative from a story?

		1 \| 2 \| 3 \| 4 \| 5 \| 6 \| 7 \| 8 \| 9 \| 10 \| 11 \| 12 \| 13 \| 14 \| 15 \| 16 \| 17 printable copy Story. The recital of the succession of events as seen or imagined from the outside. Illustration. The portrayal of the appearance of the story, its action or events. Narrative. A presentation that sets out the meaning of the event, the character, the intent, of those enacting the story.			John W. Dixon, Jr., Art as a Means of Thinking and of Grace Much Christian art is simply (and legitimately) illustrations of a sacred story, that is, it portrays the appearance of the action. An artist who wants to go deeper than appearance presents it as narrative, that sets out the meaning of the event, the character, the intent, of those enacting the narrative. Giotto is one of the great narrative artists of the Christian tradition. If we wish to understand the interpretation of Christian art, we can learn much from Giotto. Take, almost at random, Giotto’s narrative of the Raising of Lazarus from the Arena Chapel in Padua. How does he make a narrative from a story?