In keeping with our angelic theme, this week's Art and Beauty Tuesday is a beautiful black and white oil painting by Ryan Brown called Praying Angel.This amazing painting is a study in contrasts. Done with oils, it is nevertheless black and white. It is an angel, yet has no wings. At first glance, it seems to be a painting of a statue, but it is eerily life like.
I think the juxtaposition of opposites in this piece is a way of illustrating the paradox of spirituality. Happiness is found in letting go, plenty is found in giving away and life is found in death to self.
9 comments:
I seriously thought it was a picture of a statue. It is beautiful and reflective.
speaking of wonderful things, drop by my blog:D there's a nice picture of a dog:D
I really like this painting. Makes you think, as all good art should do.
In Sunday School, my kids learn that "angel" comes from the Greek "aggelos" which simply means messenger. We depict them with wings to show they are God's messengers. Even Islam shows winged angels. Scripture does describe cherubim and seraphim as having wings (seraphim have 6), and we generalize all these heavenly creatures as angels.
From Isaiah: Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.
Very nice seraph here:
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m_p1jw0eOIM/Spx1I2L3slI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/dUbceJkodbs/s1600-h/vasnetsov%2520seraph%5B1%5D.jpg
I, too, would have thought it was a photo. I like that the face is in deep shadow. It helps show that the essence of the painting is worship. Interestingly, it looks like an angel to me even without wings.
That's a fascinating angel @ your link, K!
I thought the same thing Barbara. There was something angelic about this figure even without the wings.
The hands on that angel are beautiful and oh so real!
Awesome painting...thanks for sharing. N
crookedhalocatholicblog.blogspot.com
I hadn't noticed that, Nanette--you're right!
Beautiful painting! It fooled me = thought it was a statue/photo. It has a tender quality. Thank you for posting it.
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