PENTECOST BY EMIL NOLDE

 PART 3 OF A 17 PART SERIES ON FAVORITE ART AND ARTISTS

One intriguing book I read was Saving Leonardo by Nancy Pearcey. She focused on two ways to secularism, and the book was full of artwork reflecting on those paths. However, she also mentioned contemporary art that reflected a Christian point of view. On one page, she had a painting from Grace Carol Bomer, whom Becky and I had the privilege of meeting and seeing her studio in 2000, and to its left, what has become my second favorite painting of all time, Pentecost by Emil Nolde (1867-1956) (I'll be sharing my favorite picture a few days from now.).

There are individuals who I have mixed feelings of. I like a lot of Nolde's art, especially those with a faith motif, mainly because of its expressionist use of color (though I usually prefer realist and Romantic style of art). However, there are problems with Nolde. Namely, the German Nolde was a Nazi, and shared in the party's anti-Semitism. Nolde and Hitler weren't mutual admirers, though. The regime condemned his work, and in 1941 he was forbidden to paint, even in private.. So he was an obedient and didn't paint during that time ... except, like a true artist would, hundreds of watercolors which he hid and called his "Unpainted Pictures."

Back to "Pentecost." I'll admit that I like the painting better than Becky does. But I find it very moving, and capturing the power of the event.

What are your thoughts about this picture? Which pictures based on Biblical/Christian themes do you find moving? Are there artists (novelists, painters, musicians, etc.) who you enjoy their work but find yourself at odds with their beliefs?