The Mark of Art

Do you like art? Do you understand art?  I have never had an art class of any kind, no art history, no art appreciation, nothing.  Years ago when Travis and I were exploring the Louvre in Paris, I knew that I was in a fabulous museum, which was filled with priceless works of art, many admirers were sitting and staring at various paintings, soaking in something unseen to me.  I, on the other hand, was walking along thinking I know I am in an amazing place full of treasures, but I don't know how to appreciate it, I don't even understand most of it! -it doesn't even look like anything!  I knew I was missing something, so when I heard about this book, I was eager to read it with hope that it would help me to understand art and the symbolism and meaning behind the artwork. 

I recently finished reading Saving Leonardo by Nancy Pearcey, and I was not disappointed!  The author is one smart woman!  She discusses art from a Christian perspective and how it reflects the worldviews of various cultures.  She explains how and why art has changed over the years.  The book is full of pictures of artwork from over the ages from classical Greek to modern pop art and explains their significance in terms of idealism, marxism, existentialism, postmodernism, deconstructionism, empiricism, materialism, naturalism, nihilism, and more.  I feel like I would need to re-read it a few times to fully grasp all that she explains and defines!  I was so intrigued by the windows she opened for me to see art through, to help me begin to understand the messages behind the paintings, the story that is being told, and the mark it makes on society.

I would especially say that any homeschool parent who is or will be teaching art to their children would be highly benefited by reading this book.  I still have a long way to go in understanding art; I have only begun to scratch the surface, but I have a much better understanding after digging through this book!

Her message is summed up well toward the end of the book:
"[S]erious art must be taken seriously.  We may not personally like certain art forms or find them beautiful.  Nevertheless we have an obligation to pay attention to what they tell us.  We should give artists the respect of asking what they intended in their works, not only how we react to them. As Rookmaaker once said, 'Many works may be senseless, real junk, but for the fact that, being art, they are exhibited because they have a message of almost religious importance, interpreting man and his world'.
"Christians are responsible for learning how to read that message - just as missionaries are responsible for learning the language of the culture where they live.  They must also show empathy and understanding to those who are captured by destructive and nihilistic worldviews."    (Saving Leonardo, p. 247)