New for April

April 1, 2012

New for April

To mark this month when we celebrate Easter, I have added a new page on Christ's post-Resurrection appearance on the road to Emmaus, recorded in Luke 24:13-35. It can be found in the Resurrection of Christ gallery in the Life of Christ section. Artists have long been intrigued by this Gospel narrative, where the Resurrected Jesus joins two of his followers, walking from Jerusalem on the road to Emmaus. They do not recognize him, until he breaks bread at a meal with them; then, he suddenly disappears from their sight. Along with a contemporary reproduction of 19th Century Swiss Artist Robert Zund's painting of the Emmaus Road, a favorite of conservative Protestants, I have illustrated the text with a sampling of modern studies of the story. English Artist William Strang represents Christ as the friend of the poor in his black-and-white drypoint of the travellers, while French Master Printmaker Georges Rouault depicts the walking trio as abstract forms in brilliant colors. The breaking of the bread is the key motif in a etching by Dutch Artist Jan Strube, a drypoint by French Book Illustrator Hermine David, lithgraphs by American Social Realist Eugene Higgins and French Graphic Artist Albert Decaris, and in an icon by American Artist Jodi Simmons, underscoring the Eucharistic meaning of the event. American Painter Edward Knippers presents the dramatic moment, when Christ disappears from view. You can also find a meditation on South Korean Woodblock Artist Lee Chul Soo's print, Jesus, the Blade of Grass, in the Art Reflections gallery of the Moments with Masters Section, an image of new life and growth, amplifying this month's Resurrection theme. (John Kohan)