Suffering With Joy

Vatican Splendors Exhibit – A Review

May 26, 2010

The Virgin in Prayer, 1640-1650, Sassoferrato (b. 1609, d. 1685, Roma), Oil on canvas, National Gallery, London

Last week we went to St. Louis to visit my aunt and see The Vatican Splendors exhibition in St. Louis.  Even though the two room exhibit was very tiring and elevated my pain levels, I loved it and was glad to have had the chance to see things I would never have otherwise been able to.

Vatican Splendors will be at the Museum of History in Forest Park until Labor Day, so if anyone is planning a trip to the vicinity this summer, it is a great opportunity to learn more about the Catholic “Journey through Faith and art”. Vatican policy is to allow certain items to go on tour, but they must return to the Vatican and remain there for a year before going out again.

From artifact reproductions of items from St. Peter’s tomb to actual paintings by great artists such as Sassoferrato, from sculptures by Bernini to chasubles woven with gold, it all was impressive.  Some of the treasures on display were sent over many centuries to the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. Shown were an Arabic  painting of Madonna and Child, a painting on rice paper of a Vietnamese funeral in 1840,  a painting of a Chinese funeral from 1791, a petition to Pope Pius IX from Chinese Christians sent in 1847, a gorgeous tempera on paper of Our Lady with Jesus and St. John the Baptist all dressed in clothes of Korean royalty, and many others.

A large part of the exhibit centered around the demolition of the original St. Peter’s Basilica and the many artists and architects who had a hand in designing and constructing the new Renaissance basilica we enjoy today. When the current basilica was constructed, the great obelisk Nero took from the Egyptians was moved to its present location in St. Peter’s square.  An etching showing the thousands of horses and men required to move and raise it gave me a great appreciation of the engineering feat it was.  We also saw Michaelangelo’s calipers, and a pulley and shackle used to erect the basilica.

Two items I will never forget are the chalice and ciborium belonging to Pope John Paul II who used them to celebrate Mass at St. Peter’s. The pictures in the catalogue don’t do them justice.  You must see it in person to have the full beauty sink in.  They are made of gilt silver with lustrous pink gems (called vitreous in the catalogue) and sculpted scenes of Christ.  Looking at these one could never doubt that they are worthy to hold the Sacred Hosts and Precious Blood of Christ.

We hear much today about the need to demonstrate our Catholic identity.  This exhibit showed the continuity of belief and the missionary outreach the Church has faithfully carried on throughout the ages. In spite of all the grave sins committed by her members even today, this exhibit brings home a line from the Apostle’s Creed: “I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church” – a Church who continually strives to bring all to Christ, a Church which, as Bernini’s Colonnade exemplifies, reaches out to embrace all mankind.

Tags: art, Catholic Church