It was very special today to finally make the pilgrimage to the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum to see the Dali painting “Christ of St John of the Cross” - I was surprised how moving it was to stand in front of it.
I didn’t realise Christ isn’t actually attached to the cross in Dali’s painting. His body is also unmarked so it is all about triumph rather than despair, that Christ is above us and gives us his peace. Look at the calm sea below him.
The Roman Catholic writer Andrew Brookes suggests Dali was shown a drawing by the 16th century Carmelite Spanish mystic St John of the Cross and he painted his own interpretation of it. Brookes suggests helpfully the painting might be a picture of St John’s Gospel’s image of Jesus.
“The fourth evangelist also stresses that Jesus is the master of his own destiny: he goes to his death because he chooses to. As St Catherine of Siena says he is held to the cross by love and not by nails. This majesty and freedom is brought out well by the lack of nails and the peaceful repose of the figure. John also stresses that the glory of Christ’s victory is already manifest in his actual death. As Jesus had said, ‘when I am raised up from the earth I will draw all people to myself (Jn 12:32). The glorious and serene Christ, situated above the clouds, speaks of a Christ already raised up, ascended to his Father.
While we can look down on the Christ, in a way our gaze is also drawn upwards to the cross. This is achieved because the painting in fact has 2 perspectives. As well as, at the top, looking down from above, at the bottom of the painting we look straight into it, sharing its level so to speak. The bottom scene is very particular. It reminds me of the account of John and James being called while they mend their nets. In fact, it is set in the contemporary setting of the Spanish fishing village of Port Lligat in which Dali lived. Jesus dies not just for us in a universal way but for every person in their concrete individuality, and not just people back then but here and now.
Viewed from here we can look up and, penetrating the clouds with faith, see Christ, at once very clearly physically human but filled with divine glory, immense, embracing everything, and pointing to the Father from whom he has come.
The two perspectives found in the painting meet and produce an overall unity which destroys neither. Christ’s Paschal Mystery unites the divine and human and allows us to be caught up into the divine. The Father offers us his Son. But there is also a challenge. Do we, like John, want to get caught up in the redemptive work of Christ, a mystery known forever in God, but now made known for our salvation? And will we witness to it?”
Jesus in his passion and resurrection is one with us. He offers atonement for our sins bringing us back to God. This is amazing good news.
There was a fascinating collection of art in the gallery. I contrasted Dali’s Christ with a painting below called “A Marriage of Convenience.” Look at how far apart the wife and husband are and how unhappy she looks… perhaps today rejoicing in Christ’s reconciling work in us, we remember those in life whose relationships are strained and unhappy…
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