"A revival of Gothic art was not limited to late 19th and early 20th century Christian sacred art."

Art can serve many functions. I believe the primary function of the gift of artistic talent is the same as all of the gifts of the Spirit, to build up the Kingdom of God. To put it another way, all of our gifts are given to us bring hearts and minds back to God.

However the gift of artistic talent can be put to use in many other ways. Art can be used to teach, to tell stories, to heal, to explore, or just plain give joy to the artist. Each of those ways may be used for good or bad ends. For example art can be a useful tool for propaganda.

Propaganda has a negative connotation in today’s society because we largely think of its use by totalitarian and fascist regimes. But at its heart, propaganda is a communication designed to persuade someone to a particular point of view.

In 1915 the passenger ship Lusitania was sunk by a German U-boat. More than a thousand live were lost. The incident was used for propaganda on both sides. The Germans issued a medal claiming (correctly) that the ship carried munitions. The Boston Committee of Public Safety issued this enlistment poster underscoring the fact that American lives were lost. The attack, and the poster, were factors in the American decision to enter World War I.

The first half of the twentieth century was marked by a rejection of the past and a new urge for experimentation in both in art and architecture. The “old way” of western art which stressed beauty and harmony, was rejected in favor of originality and the expression of “feelings.” In a sense, the old way was held responsible for all the ills of the modern world including a world war. Art that was seen as “original” was prized over work that showed the technical mastery of the artist. The cult of the New was eclipsing the cult of the Good,

But there were still artists who found their inspiration in the past and their mastery and skill were recognized by a public that still appreciated the beautiful in art.

Arthur Szyk was born in Łódź, Poland, in 1894. He attended art schools in both Paris and Krakow. At a time when many fine artists were experimenting with abstractionism and expressionism, Szyk drew his inspiration from illuminated manuscripts of the late Gothic period. For him there was no difference between applied art and fine art and much of his work was in the form of illustrated books. There was a time when his work was known throughout America and Europe.

Szyk saw himself as an activist artist. He was so successful at portraying the Axis powers in a negative light, that it is alleged Adolph Hitler put a bounty on the artist’s head. But my point here is not so much to show the power of the artistic medium, which is considerable, but rather to show another way in which the Gothic art form was adapted for use by an artist working hundreds of years later.

Apart from his family, Szyk had three great loves in his life, his Jewish heritage, Poland, the country of his birth, and America, his adopted home. These loves would guide his career.

One of Szyk’s most famous works was an illustrated version of the Haggadah. Haggadah is a Hebrew word meaning “telling.” The Haggadah is a retelling of the Exodus from Egypt. It is read at the Passover Seder as a fulfillment of the commandment (mitzvah) for each Jew to tell their children the story of their people and how God brought the Israelites out of slavery with a strong hand and an outstretched arm. The Haggadah is regarded as a sacred Jewish text and therefore it is perhaps the closest example of Szyk using the Gothic form to produce contemporary sacred art.

In Szyk’s work we clearly see the Gothic inspiration. It is highly ornamental. His full page illustrations include a marvelous array of decorative borders. The compositions display a keen eye for balance, symmetry and harmony. His figures, both human and animal are highly stylized.

But he builds on the Gothic form rather than copies it. His borders are typically more ornate than anything we would find in a medieval manuscript. The compositions are more dynamic in their movement. The medieval artist prioritized clear story telling over compositions that delighted the eye. Szyk manages to do both. The stylized figures are far more expressive, showing a greater attention to individual characterization. His colors are vibrant and jewel-like, owing to the greater ease and availability of material that was unavailable to the medieval illuminator.

As with any valid revival of an historic form, Szyk learns from the past, is inspired by it, but does not feel bound to it.

The following is a mural of the crossing of the Red Sea executed by the Palekh Masters in 1882. The Palekh Masters preserved much of the iconographic form.

In the Golden Haggadah, produced in 1320, gives us a Gothic interpretation of the same event. The lower left quadrant shows the fate of the pursuing Egyptians with Moses looking on. Moses and his people are surrounded by the waves of the Red Sea but are not overcome by them.

Szyk’s interpretation owes something to the past but is a beautiful example of adapting the Gothic style to modern tastes.

To learn more about Arthur Szyk, his life, work, and activism. I encourage you to visit www.szyk.org.

Pax vobiscum

Lawrence Klimecki, MSA, is a deacon in the Diocese of Sacramento. He is a public speaker, writer, and artist, reflecting on the intersection of art and faith and the spiritual “hero’s journey” that is part of every person’s life. He maintains a blog at www.DeaconLawrence.org and can be reached at Lawrence@deaconlawrence.com

Lawrence draws on ancient Christian tradition to create new contemporary visions of sacred art. For more information on original art, prints and commissions, Please visit www.DeaconLawrence.org 

Purchase fine art prints of Deacon Lawrence’s work here.