One could argue, I suppose, that the Dominican artist (who died in 1455) won’t actually be there, but I believe otherwise. Fra Angelico was beatified in 1984. This means we can officially venerate him as a model of holiness and pray for his intercession. I imagine he will be “there” among those viewing his works in the same way the communion of saints is “here” with us even now. But he’ll be present in another way as well: through his art.
Every creation bears the image of its creator. We bear the image of God. You bear the image of your parents. A painting bears the image of its painter, music bears the image of its composer and so on. To see the creation is to catch a glimpse of the creator. When we look at Fra Angelico’s Paradise, we encounter more than a generic rendition of heaven. We encounter a piece of Fra Angelico himself. We peek into his mind, heart and soul when we see his picture of paradise. Similarly, Fra Angelico’s moving depictions of Christ on the Cross reveal his personal knowledge of the Crucified Savior to whom he had dedicated his life. The pious friar believed that being Christlike was necessary for an artist to properly portray Christ. Aware of the connection between the artist and the art, Fra Angelico would always pray before he would paint.
Since a piece of art communicates something of its creator’s soul, the sanctity of the artist (or lack thereof) is not irrelevant. Fra Angelico’s numerous works radiate their painter’s own holiness of life. Yet art does more than reveal its maker. It also affects those who encounter it. Art can make the beholder desire sanctity or sin. It can inspire, depress, motivate or pacify us. Art speaks to us by expressing realities which transcend the limits of verbal communication. The effect is positive when Truth, Beauty and Goodness are “spoken” through the piece. Good art sheds light on these realities — which find their source in God — with an unspeakable depth which only prayer can match or exceed. Those works of art which not only reveal Truth, Beauty and Goodness but also lead to prayer are, in my estimation, the most valuable ones. Much of Fra Angelico’s art deserves this distinction, including the frescoes which our late Holy Father described as “authentic prayer expressed in colors.” Undoubtedly, the prayer which preceded his artwork is the source of the prayer which proceeds from his artwork.
In this prayerful artist are unified two elements of universal appeal — holiness and beauty — which shine light on the truth without need for argument or debate. Fra Angelico embodies what Pope Benedict XVI has referred to as the best defense of Christianity, namely, “the saints the Church has produced and the art which has grown in her womb.” A prestigious Mecca of secular culture is about to present a powerful defense of Christianity through an exhibit that reveals a glorious fruit of the Christian life: the intersection of holiness and beauty.
But we can’t depend on the Metropolitan Museum of Art to reveal the fruits of Christianity to the world. That’s our job. We are called to reveal holiness and beauty. In a certain sense, we’re all artists. Our lives are our masterpieces. They bear the image of our souls. The image can be beautiful or ugly. It can inspire sanctity or sin. We may not have the artistic gifts to rival Fra Angelico’s paintings, but we all have access to the one gift necessary to emulate his holiness: grace. God’s grace can help us form our lives into impressive works of art. With His help, the saints made their lives “something beautiful for God” as Blessed Teresa of Calcutta would say. We may never be featured guests in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, but like the saints, we can all be permanent residents in the hallowed halls of heaven.
© Copyright 2005 Catholic Exchange
Gina Giambrone is a freelance writer and speaker based in Cincinnati, Ohio. She holds an MA in Theology and Christian Ministry from the Franciscan University of Steubenville and is currently awaiting the publication of her first book.
