Transfiguration : August 6th

Painting by RS Thomas, an Indian Artist [from a USPG booklet : The Life of Christ by an Indian artist] I find this painting conveys the Transfiguration [ Luke 9 v 28f ] so well... reminding us of the rainbow that brings hope after a storm [ if you can see this in the webpage view, then look down the labels on the right hand side, searching for "rainbow"; click on that and you will be able to see the lovely rainbow photo by Katrina Kerr... a double rainbow over the river...Wow! ]

 

The Transfuguration, by an Indian artist...where Jesus is portrayed in the style of an Indian holy man or ‘sadhu’ with the kind of aura sometimes used to portray the Buddha’s Enlightenment... [eg in the Buddhist cave-temples in Dambulla, Sri Lanka]

for Indian Christian paintings in more Hindu style, see the artwork of Jyoti Sahi
 

Continuing this series on Christian paintings from various cultures... I am hoping to show you some more from Jesusmafa... & hopefully also some from Sri Lanka...

you might also be interested in a book published by the World Council of Churches: Christ for All Peoples...

The Transfiguration : St Luke 9 v 28 - 36

The Transfiguration : c. T.A.Thomas

This Indian painting conveys a strong sense of stillness, awe  and wonder, whereas the Cameroonian one below reminds me of disappearing into mist and cloud rolling down the mountain in Snowdonia...or Kilimanjaro in East Africa with its summit often surrounded by cloud.

How do you imagine this scene ?

Luke’s Gospel recounts many times when Jesus went up into the hills alone to pray, and I can well imagine the silence and solitude... walking alone... gaining perspective away from the crowds... and taking his inner group of followers up the mountainside would immediately remind them of Moses and Elijah seeking God in mountain silence & solitude.

The Indian painting reminds me of depictions of the Buddha in the Sri Lankan Dambulla  Caves, where his Enlightenment is portrayed by a rainbow of coloured light surrounding him as he sits in meditation. This Indian artist has shown Christ as an Indian Holy Man, surrounded by colourful light which both comes down upon him and shines out from within him...

The Transfiguration : c. Jesusmafa

Confirmation & Transfiguration

“Spirit of God unseen as the wind,
gentle as is the dove...”

 c. Yvonne Bell

artist unknown

Transfiguration   by  Jyoti Sahi

I love this painting, because Jesus is shown mysteriously identified with all the exotic Indian plants... they grow within him, revealing his unity with the whole creation: “All things were made by him...in him was life and the life was the light of humankind...”  [St John 1 v 1f] And the more you spend time genly looking at this painting, the more you see...people hidden within the branches...a waterfall flowing through Jesus [or is it somethimg else?]  Look for yourself...enlarge the image...what do you see ?