THE WAY OF THE CROSS IN MODERN ART

The majority of tourists visiting Israel are Christians. Among them, Catholics and Orthodox Christians are particularly eager to traverse the unique path within the Old City of Jerusalem, known as the Via Crucis or Via Dolorosa (Way of Sorrows). This route is the primary motivation for their visit, as it is traditionally believed to be the path Jesus took while carrying the cross to his crucifixion. Starting from his trial by Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor, this path leads to Golgotha (Aramaic for "hill of the skull"), which was located outside the city walls. According to Christian belief, Jesus was resurrected there three days after his crucifixion.

As a guide, I frequently lead tours along this route in Jerusalem for French and Italian individuals and groups, many of whom are Catholic or have been raised in the Catholic tradition. Recently, I have also had the opportunity to guide Israeli tourists interested in exploring Christianity, and they have found the tour to be highly engaging.

During a recent vacation in Sicily, specifically in the city of Noto, I discovered the paintings of a young and contemporary Italian artist depicting the fourteen stations of the Cross. This prompted me to reflect on how artists throughout history, especially those of the modern and postmodern eras, have engaged with the theme of the Via Dolorosa.

The Via Crucis, or Way of the Cross, is a Catholic devotion consisting of a series of prayers that follow Jesus' journey as he carries the cross to the hill where he would ultimately be crucified. This occurred following a prejudiced trial and an unusual sentence by the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate. For a more detailed article on this topic, please see here. This devotion focuses on moments of personal suffering, symbolizing human suffering: the weight of the heavy cross, the sorrow of his mother, physical torments, assistance from others, empathy, sweat, blood, and bodily weakness. Jesus confronts human cruelty and the distortion of justice on his path to a scandalous and dreadful death. For believing Christians, these events reflect the atrocities committed by humanity against God Himself, who came down to live among people to save them.

The Catholic Church divides the journey into fourteen "stations of the cross." At each station, Jesus experiences moments of emotional stress and human confrontation. Pilgrims engage in prayer, reflecting on the sufferings of Christ, while conducting self-examination and faith reflection to purify their souls.

In every Catholic church, the Way of the Cross is marked on walls, depicted in statues in courtyards, or displayed on city streets, as well as in renowned pilgrimage sites like Lourdes in France and Fatima, Portugal. Christian believers can undertake this spiritual journey within their own parish churches. While the wording of the prayers may vary, the stations are sometimes represented figuratively or by a simple Latin numeral, guiding believers in their prayer cycle. The devotion originated with pilgrims and Franciscans in medieval Jerusalem, aiming to recreate the path Jesus walked through the city to the crucifixion site, which was located outside the city walls during his time.

For generations, numerous artists have depicted their interpretations of these fourteen spiritual stations, often commissioned by churches seeking designs for prayer stations along their walls. These stations are typically portrayed realistically, though occasionally they are represented abstractly, reflecting the artistic spirit of the time.

Roberto Ferri

Born 1978

The rebuilt Cathedral of Noto, Sicily, Italy.

Recently, the cathedral in the city of Noto, Sicily, commissioned the Stations of the Cross. The cathedral had collapsed in 1996 as a result of the 1990 earthquake. Following its renovation, the cathedral sought the expertise of Italian contemporary artist Roberto Ferri for the Way of the Cross cycle. Ferri draws inspiration from Caravaggio and 19th-century academic painter William-Adolphe Bouguereau. In 2013, Ferri unveiled his interpretation of the fourteen Stations of the Cross.

Ferri's depiction of the stations is unconventional, focusing on the corporeal aspect and physicality of Jesus. While he draws inspiration from classical masters such as Caravaggio, David, Ingres, and Bouguereau, Ferri also incorporates elements of modernist hyperrealism and surrealism. His work highlights homoerotic elements and graphic violent brutality. Despite receiving high praise from secular critics, the church was less enthusiastic about this interpretation. There were discussions about removing the paintings; however, because of the significant critical acclaim, the artworks have remained in the cathedral as of 2021.

Station I Judgement and flagellation Station II Acceptance of the cross

Station III Jesus falls for the first time Station IV Jesus meets his mother

Station V Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus Station IV Veronica wipes Jesus's face

Station VII Jesus falls for the second time Station VIII Jesus consoles the women

Station IX Jesus falls for the third time Station X Jesus is stripped of his clothes

Station XI Jesus is nailed to the cross Station XII Jesus dies on the cross

Station XIII Descent from the cross. Pietà. Station XIV Jesus is laid in the grave.

Jean Paul Bonduau

Born 1956

Cathedral of Notre Dame de la Treille, in Lille, France.

The artist was born in Loos, near Lille, in the French province of Flanders. He was also commissioned to paint the Way of the Cross in Lille's Notre-Dame-de-la-Treille Cathedral. The construction of the cathedral began in 1854 and was only completed in 1999 due to various reasons, primarily financial. Initially constructed in the neo-Gothic style, the church was ultimately finished in a modernistic style. Numerous local artists have contributed works in diverse styles to this eclectic church. Bonduau received a commission from the bishop to paint, and the series was completed by Easter 2004.

I was profoundly moved by Bonduau's Way of the Cross. Unlike the typical multi-participant drama found in traditional stations representations, the artist has chosen to emphasize the emotions of Jesus' human side, focusing on the man being led to his death. The painting is expressionist, capturing emotions through sketches and multiple lines that convey feelings of disappointment, despair, suffering, fatigue, and helplessness—precisely the human emotions that this therapeutic cycle of prayers aims to alleviate. The artist distills the essence of each station, as if placing himself in Jesus' position. This is fundamentally the purpose of this devotion.

He further underscores the notion that Jesus embodies many identities, thereby making this experience universal: Jesus could have been any one of us.

Station I Judgement and flagellation Station II Acceptance of the cross

Station III Jesus falls for the first time Station IV Jesus meets his mother

Station V Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus Station IV Veronica wipes Jesus's face

Station VII Jesus falls for the second time Station VIII Jesus consoles the women

Station IX Jesus falls for the third time Station X Jesus is stripped of his clothes

Station XI Jesus is nailed to the cross Station XII Jesus dies on the cross

Station XIII Descent from the cross. Pietà. Station XIV Jesus is laid in the grave

Jean Paul Bonduau

Henri Matisse

1869 – 1954

CHAPELLE DU ROSAIRE, Vence, France,

Way of the Cross

One of the most remarkable modern churches, the Chapelle du Rosaire, was consecrated in 1951 for the Dominican convent in the city of Vence, France. The church was constructed by architect August Perret, while the interior design was created by the renowned artist Henri Matisse, who was in the later years of his life. During this period, Matisse was at the height of his colorful paper collage work, and the church was adorned in this style, featuring just three distinct colors set against a white background.

In the church, the stations of the Way of the Cross are painted on one wall, crowded and scribbled in black on white ceramic tiles, as if they were preparations for a painting or jottings of a madman on the walls of an asylum. They are drawn in very rough contours, with serial numbers next to them. However, the great painter's brush manages to convey in one line the moments of existential anxiety and fear.

Depicted below are Henri Matisse and Sister Jacques-Marie, formerly known as Monique, who served as his nurse and model for several of his paintings before taking her vows as a nun. A brave friendship blossomed between them, leading to their collaborative design of the interior of the chapel for the Dominican convent she had joined.

After years of research and numerous sketches, he created "The Way of the Cross." It is reported that the final version was executed in enamel, using a brush affixed to a fishing rod, and completed in a single session with his eyes closed.

Chapel interior

Wall of the Way of the cross, Chapel of the Rosary, Vence, France. By Henri Matisse, 1951

Wall of the Way of the Cross, Vence

1 The trial 2 Acceptance of the Cross 3 Jesus falls for the first time 4 Jesus meets his mother 5 Simon of Cyrene 6 Veronica's veil 7 Jesus falls for the second time 8 Jesus consoles the Women of Jerusalem 9 Jesus falls for the third time 10 Jesus is stripped from his clothes 11 The nailing to the cross 12 Crucifixion, Jesus dies on the cross 13 the descent from the cross. 14 Jesus is laid in the grave

Father Andrea Martini

1967

CHAPEL OF THE APPARITION, Holy Sepulcher, Jerusalem.

Stations of the Cross

Stations I-VII of the cross

Stations VIII-XIV and the resurrection of Jesus.

Even within the revered Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, a site of profound significance in the Christian world, the Catholic Church has embraced a modernist and symbolic interpretation of the Stations of the Cross. These stations are depicted as shadow-like figures, all situated on a single wall, reflecting the minimalist influence of Matisse. The journey begins with the station of the flagellation and, in accordance with the addition made by Pope John Paul II, includes fifteen stations, with the resurrection as the fifteenth, although it is not numbered. This approach was also intended as an ecumenical gesture, fostering inclusivity among Christian denominations by acknowledging the rites of the Greek Orthodox, who refer to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher as the Church of the Resurrection.

Religion is dynamic and evolving, adapting to the prevailing spirit of the times. It can both shape and be shaped by artistic styles. This is evident in the progression from the minimalism of Matisse's modern art to Bonduau's transition towards personal and postmodernist interpretations of truth and further to Ferri's hyperrealism and neoclassicism.