Portrait of Pope John Paul II - Page 2

Linda Ciallelo · 01-26-2003, 10:08 AM

Yes, I too agree that Mr. Shanks' portrait of the Pope is very satisfying, the focal point being the Pope's gaze. This is a great painting. I love the lighting.

Elizabeth Schott · 01-26-2003, 02:19 PM

That shows "my bad", Steven, but also shows Mr. Shanks' ability to capture the immenseness of the space. The wood carved altar(?) ambo(?) is nowhere to be seen in your images of the stained glass, so just imagine how far away he was. Wow!

Timothy C. Tyler · 01-26-2003, 07:04 PM

I think Nelson Shanks is one of the best there has ever been. I also think this was a tough assignment. I don't think it's his strongest work. Sargent did some similiar pieces that did not work very well either - it happens. I suppose some color may have been lost in the images I've seen. The small image in the ASOPA flyer is richer in color than the larger one in the same printing, for example.

Jim Riley · 01-26-2003, 09:13 PM

I am among those who think very highly of Nelson Shanks and had the good fortune to see his work and a demonstration in Allentown, PA last fall. I would not argue that he is one of the very best. If you have never seen an original Shanks portrait you have missed a lot. At the risk of being a curmudgeon though, I feel that his painting of Pope Paul II is not among his best. There seems to be a postcard feel to it, much as you would find in family travel photos when the picture is taken far enough away from the historical interest just so we can include as much as possible of the site. There is no suggestion of a congregation, which makes you wonder who is benefiting from his blessing.

The sunlit window looks contrived and I find the light and glow to be distracting. Cover it up and the painting is better. This is almost a "Painting of a Window with a Pope"

Sargent, among others, stressed the need to develop the figure as a whole so that you would recognize the subject even without features. In this case the subject is upright and tending to lean backward when we all know and recognize the Pope as short and stooped.

I hope these comments don't seem mean-spirited and I restate my admiration for the artist's ability. But much of this work poses questions. The fabric around his raised arm really looks more like a scrub rag. Around and below it on either side hangs something that looks intestinal and the resulting negative shape is very bothersome as is the shadowed area separating the latter with the vestment. (Where is all the reflected light coming from?)

I suppose I should stop but have to ask myself why he allowed the staff/crucifix to appear as though it emerges from his sleeve. How do you explain the form/lighting/color intensity of the miter, and unless the reproduction is not good why does the arch above his head exist in a fog?

This attachment may be somewhat better than the original post.

(I think I avoided anything that would require a trip to the confessional.)

Steven Sweeney · 01-27-2003, 04:51 AM

I think it

Jeanine Jackson · 01-27-2003, 09:07 AM

In October of 1978, I purchased a 35 mm camera and travelled south from Florence (where I attended graduate school) to Rome. The occassion was the election of our next pope. That "our" became a universal collective as many thousands of people representing millions more from all religions and cultures gathered day after day in St. Peter's Square. All eyes were rivoted to the smokestack that for the first three days signaled black (no decision yet). It billowed white when a unnanimous vote was cast by all cardinals to elect this pope, and the world rejoiced.

Known as a "Pastoral Pope," we knew then he would reach out to create an unprecedented reign of good will and spiritual leadership worldwide.

In September of '02, I accompanied my husband for his first visit to the basilica of St. Peter's. Like all visitors to this holy shrine, wonder filled his eyes at the sheer power of faith, its majesty, and absolute beauty.

Mr. Shanks has captured ALL of this. The person, the place, and all of us the Holy See is welcoming into the light of love and peace.

It has became my favorite portrait - easily.

Elizabeth Schott · 01-27-2003, 10:34 AM

Funny, I find myself in agreement with all here. I am much more a fan of Sargent than Shanks, but am a fan of this Pope for the reasons Jeanine touches on. They are personal

Elizabeth Schott · 01-27-2003, 10:38 AM

This is the Panini. Lots of changes since this was done.

I forgot to mention, it has been my experience that "priestly hierarchically" art is very ornate, meaning, the Bishops, Cardinals, Pope

Timothy C. Tyler · 01-29-2003, 01:04 AM

can be every artists' best work. No artist always hits a home run. I like nearly every work on Shanks' website better than this. The two colors most intense are yellow and red. These two are side by side on the face and the hat.

Jim Riley · 01-29-2003, 10:53 PM

My comments on this portrait may have qualified as technical criticism, as some one noted, but my larger concern is more for the concept and effectiveness of the painting in total. The project would be overwhelming for any of us and we're short of knowing the original intent of the commission and the situation where it will hang.

If the intention was to incorporate the majesty of place as well as the personality and aura of the most recognized spiritual leader in the world, it faced a huge challenge. I have an ongoing project where the family wants to include their house interior (or exterior) that features two stories plus of windows with indications of fall foliage and the full family of six. In each case there is too much going on to do a fair job on a modest sized canvas. To give subject and locale good representation would call for a very large canvas and near life-sized subject to avoid having the subject appear dwarfed or the architecture diminished. Ironically the photos documenting the cathedral only serve to show how short the painting is in reflecting that extraordinary interior.

I have had people respond emotionally to some of my portraits and often wonder how much depended on my efforts versus the emotional attachment by the family to the subject. In some cases I think I could have painted "Baby Jane Doe" on the canvas and tears would have flowed. Is this painting a success aside from the personal and spiritual connections? I would have liked to see a portrait of the Pontiff that revealed something of the man behind the robes and symbolism. Instead the painting feels more like a photo op.

I think my comments are within the spirit of Cafe Guerbois and if the Pope is ever in need of an ex altar boy who still knows the Latin responses I would be more than happy to fill in. "Pater Noster qui es in caelis"......