Sunday 10 March 2019

Into The Wilderness

I was hesitant about taking on a Lent Challenge this year, because I didn't want to give up half way through. But I have found inspiration in an unlikely place. This is a picture called "Christ in the Wilderness- Driven by the Spirit" and was painted in 1942 by that most eccentric English artist, Stanley Spencer.
SS challenged himself to paint 40 pictures- one for each day of Lent, on the theme of Christ in the Wilderness. After spending fifteen years on this project, he had only managed sixteen sketches, and eight finished canvasses. 
I am not aiming for 40 works of art, just a daily acknowledgement that there is too much stuff in my life, and it is getting in the way of other things. Four days in, I am doing OK. 
At the start of this week I was preparing a Sunday School lesson about Jesus and the Temptations - and that was how I discovered these pictures. They are certainly thought provoking.
Because I grew up with the King James' Version, my childhood mental images had Jesus 'in the desert' [sand dunes, the occasional camel or palm tree...] but really it should be 'in the deserted place' - i.e. away from other human beings - and Spencer has made that 'the wild place' - the wilderness. In his paintings he reflects on Jesus 'getting back to nature' [more about that in future posts] I'm not 100% sure about the rather tubby character here, who looks as if he should be en route to Slimming World. 
...But maybe Spencer has a point. Other artists have depicted Jesus being tempted as a thin, almost skeletal figure, desperate for stones-turned-into-bread. But perhaps the artist wants to show us that Jesus has come away from his home, where Mary, the good Jewish mother, was always busy trying to feed her son. There he would have learned to savour his meals, and be grateful for all the blessings around him - fresh fish from Galilee, lamb from the sheep on the hillside outside Nazareth, juicy figs and dates picked from the trees near his home. And as a carpenter he'd have developed muscles, from his daily manual labours. This was a young man with a healthy appetite for food. And that would surely make the temptation so much harder - and the overcoming of it so much more important.
Although not the first picture to be painted in this series, this is the first in terms of the biblical story [Matthew chapter 4] I love the determined expression on Jesus' face, the way he is grasping at the branch to pull himself forward, and his bare feet gripping the uneven rocky ground beneath him. 
And I draw strength from the truth that there is no part of my life's journey that is unknown to Jesus, and he will be with me through every challenge I face, whether great or small. And if I stumble, he will help to get up and keep going. 



12 comments:

  1. Thank you very much indeed for bringing this series of pictures to my attention. I have rearranged all the icons on my phone so as to have a nearly clear screen in order to enjoy the wallpaper picture and I want to try using pictures like this to 'carry' me through Lent.
    I came across another version of Lent clearing; 40 things; move one item per day to a charity bag and donate them all after Easter. I'm going for that one.

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  2. I love the effort shown in this painting especially in Jesus's neck muscles.
    Like you I’m dubious about his size unless he's wearing a rather stiff, one size fits all, cast off from a larger brother.
    Before I realised that the lines on the left of the painting were twigs, my mind had made them into cracks symbolising the world that Jesus was walking into the
    Wilderness to remove himself from.
    On a different note I’ve started working my way through your” Black Bag List”.
    I failed on day 1 as I only possess 3 handbags. I culled one of them but may rescue it from our charity shop box. It was my mother's and I’m not sure I’m ready to let it go yet!
    Oh well, try again. I find Lent a very testing time! Sue

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    1. Do you think the strong neck muscles relate to Jesus' powerful voice? I've decided "bag" need not mean large black bin bag, some days it will be a small carrier! I have a large cardboard box labelled Charity Shop which I will deliver at the end of Lent. That gives me space to reconsider!

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    2. Sue emailed me a second comment, which Blogger refused to allow her to post “Yes that's a good thought. The image has stayed with me all day so Spencer, (and you) made me think hard. I'm still keeping the cracks as it helps me to remember the cracks in my own life that I’m attempting to address during Lent.
      My charity box in the garage sees several last minute rescues. Sadly I’ve even been known to buy things back occasionally! Sue”

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  3. That is a very interesting depiction of Jesus! Just last night, my daughter and I were having a discussion about the significance of being in nature/a natural setting, whether it is a forest or a garden, in different religions. I am wishing you well as you proceed with your Lent challenge.

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    1. I think being "in nature" is good for us, I'm not surprised it is recognised by many faiths!

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  4. I think it was about 1958 when my College Art tutor took two of us students to Sandham. I was writing a dissertation on Spencer, and was thrilled to be going. Even more thrilled were we to find the man himself was there. I wish I remember more clearly what we talked about.

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    1. Oh wow! What a special memory to have! I'm very impressed

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  5. I'm attempting the 40 items in 40 days challenge for Lent. I've paused for the weekend as its just a nightmare task with all the children home, I'll catch up on monday lol x

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    1. It's OK, even the most ardent monks allow Sundays off during Lent, and Mums have an added dispensation for Saturdays

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  6. Such lovely picture. Here in the US we have interesting challenges for Lent. Some people give up chocolate for example. I am from Brazil originally and don't remember such things there. May you have a great week.

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