Omnes Sancti et Sanctæ Coreæ, orate pro nobis.

Now Blogging Afresh at Ad Orientem 西儒 - The Western Confucian



Friday, July 16, 2004

Kim Ki-chang's Glory to God

I came across the above painting off of a link on the Apparitions of Virgin Mary Art Gallery. The link, World's Great Madonnas, has the following description to accompany the painting:
"Have you ever tried to listen to a painting? Try listening to this picture. The kneeling shepherds are greeting the child with a silent gesture of honor. The animals, too, seem quiet, as they gaze with curiosity at the baby in their manger. Mary and Joseph appear speechless, as if the Christ child's very presence were speaking and notheing more need be said. Only the one shepherd, holding his staff, may be speaking. Perhaps he has whispered, 'Look!'

"The delicate colors and gentle lines used by Ki-Chang Kim add to the sense of quiet created by this picture. The styles of Asian art, in music, drama, poetry, and painting, often convey an invitation to silence or deepended attention. What an important message the Asian tradition has: Silence reveals grace."

Here is a site on the artist, KIM, KI-CHANG (EUN BO) ( 1914 - ), which also provides a limited Kim, Ki-Chang Image Gallary [sic]. Here is a Korean site with fifteen of his paintings: 雲甫 金基昶 年譜(1914~). This bilingual site, 김기창, provides a 43-page gallery of his works, including works depicting the life of Our Lord set in Korea beginning on page 14.

The following three paintings come from a Korean site, 예수님은 어떤분 이신가?, and depict Our Lord's Agony in the Garden, His Crucifiction, and His Resurrection: