‘Genuine Sacred Art Draws Man to Adoration, to Prayer, and to the Love of God’. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, Article 2502).
Sacred art has a varying definition according to many different sources. Sacred art is defined by the Catholic Church as “true and beautiful when its form corresponds to its particular vocation: evoking and glorifying, in faith and adoration, the transcendent mystery of God”. Leonardo Da Vinci’s artworks are some of many pieces of art that are praised as ingenious around the world. Many of Leonardo’s works are recognized all over the world, his most famous painting being the ‘Mona Lisa’. Leonardo created several artworks which conveyed religious themes and challenged the viewers to imagine the story of Jesus’ life. Three of Leonardo’s famous artworks include the ‘Annunciation, the ‘Last Supper’ and the ‘Adoration of the Magi’. These three art pieces all have a deep and significant connection through underlying religious themes about God’s relationship with humans, bringing viewers to deeper adoration and appreciation of his plan towards his followers.
Many experts seem to debate the authenticity of the ‘Annunciation’ piece to be the work of the Italian Renaissance artist Leonardo Da Vinci, so it has been continually added and removed from the list of artworks said to be painted by Leonardo. Once thought to be the work of Domenico Ghirlandaio, this painting is now generally agreed to be an early work by Leonardo. The enclosed garden is meant to symbolize her virginity. Not much is known about the painting, such as the location of where it was painted. The reason for this being the ambiguity of who actually painted this piece. This painted is located in ‘Galleria degli’, an art gallery in Uffizi, Florence. The reason the ‘Annunciation’ is considered sacred art is because it illustrates a holy moment which is written in the Bible and is glorified by many Christians over the world. ‘The Annunciation’ depicts the moment when the angel Gabriel appears before Mary and informed her of her role in God’s plan. This painting meets the criteria of being ‘sacred art’ is
Many experts seem to debate the authenticity of the ‘Annunciation’ piece to be the work of the Italian Renaissance artist Leonardo Da Vinci, so it has been continually added and removed from the list of artworks said to be painted by Leonardo. Once thought to be the work of Domenico Ghirlandaio, this painting is now generally agreed to be an early work by Leonardo. The enclosed garden is meant to symbolize her virginity. Not much is known about the painting, such as the location of where it was painted. The reason for this being the ambiguity of who actually painted this piece. This painted is located in ‘Galleria degli’, an art gallery in Uffizi, Florence. The reason the ‘Annunciation’ is considered sacred art is because it illustrates a holy moment which is written in the Bible and is glorified by many Christians over the world. ‘The Annunciation’ depicts the moment when the angel Gabriel appears before Mary and informed her of her role in God’s plan. This painting meets the criteria of being ‘sacred art’ is
Bibliography: Online Sources: The Catechism of the Catholic Church ‘2502’, 2000, 2nd BBC, ‘The Annunciation’, 2009, Viewed 20th September 2009. < http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/leonardo/gallery/annunciation.shtml> ABC Gallery, ‘The Annunciation’, 2008, Viewed 19th September 2009. Lisa Shea, ‘The Last Supper, Leonardo Da Vinci’, 2007, Viewed 19th September 2009. Lairweb Organization, ‘Adoration of The Magi’, 2009, viewed 22th September 2009. Ntworld, ‘Adoration of the Magi.jpg’, 2004, viewed 19th September 2009 The Artwolf, ‘Leonardo’s last supper.mpg’, 2006, viewed 23rd Spetember 2009. About.com, ‘Art History – The Anunciation.jpg’, 2006, viewed 22nd September 2009.