Religion in American Art

 

Articles and essays from Resource Library in chronological order:

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

2003

2002

2001

2000

1999

1998

 

and also from the Web:

Nineteenth Century German-American Church Artists, book by Annemarie Springer from Max Kade/SGAS

"The Carmel Mission in Art," February 2008 article in American Art Review, .pdf file courtesy of Carmel Mission Basilica

From The Art Bulletin "The Landscape of Belief: Encountering the Holy Land in Nineteenth-Century American Art and Culture," (book review)  Sept, 1997  by Gail E. Husch (Link found expired as of 7/24/09 audit. Source site may contain this content via a revised URL)

A Google Book Search conducted April 26, 2008 located 28 books featuring either full view or Limited Preview with the search phrase "American Religious Art." Books with "Limited Preview" include:

The Religious Art of Andy Warhol, By Jane Dillenberger, Andy Warhol. Published 1998 by Continuum International Publishing Group.128 pages. ISBN:082641334X. Google Books says: "An examination of the spiritual side of Warhol looks at his art during his final years, which includes paintings based on Leonardo da Vinci's "Last Supper," and Warhol's "Skull" and "Cross" paintings." Note: Google Books offers a Limited Preview of this book. For more information on this and other digitizing initiatives from publishers please click here and here.(right: front cover, .The Religious Art of Andy Warhol, image courtesy Google Books)

Icons of American Protestantism: The Art of Warner Sallman, By David Morgan. Published 1996 by Yale University Press. 246 pages. ISBN:0300063423. Google Books says: "This fascinating book focuses on the production, marketing, and reception of one such set of religious illustrations, the art of Warner Sallman (1892-1968), whose '1940 Head Of Christ' has been reproduced an estimated five hundred million times." Note: Google Books offers a Limited Preview of this book. For more information on this and other digitizing initiatives from publishers please click here and here.(right: front cover, .Icons of American Protestantism: The Art of Warner Sallman, image courtesy Google Books)

 

Hear these online audio shows:

Sister Corita was aired March 03, 2007 on "Weekend America." American Public Media says "When you think about pop art and counter culture, in all likelihood, you don't immediately think of a convent in Los Angeles in the 1960s. Sister Corita Kent was a nun at the Immaculate Heart Convent in Los Angeles, as well as a teacher in the art department at the Immaculate Heart College. She was also an artist whose screen prints garnered world-wide attention. At one point she was on the cover of Newsweek. But she was also criticized by conservative Catholics, including the archbishop of the Los Angeles archdiocese. Sister Corita Kent left the convent at the height of her fame but continued to live a fascinating life. Weekend America host Bill Radke visits the Corita Art Center in Los Angeles to learn more about her life and see some of her work."

National Public Radio provides archives of its radio program series. An example is Black Religious Art from All Things Considered, April 13, 2001. On this Good Friday, Commentator Robert Franklin remarks on the growing role of art in African-American churches.

WNET/New York produced Religion & Ethics Newsweekly: The Legacy of Howard Finster on October 26, 2001. Tom Patterson, Howard Finster's biographer, provides insights into the life and career of the acclaimed artist in two audio clips:

 

TFAO suggests these books:

The Visual Arts and Christianity in America: From the Colonial Period to the Present, by John Dillenberger. Published in 1984, Scholars Press (Chico, Calif). Book Review: "Stalking the Spiritual in the Visual Arts" by David Morgan.

Jewish-American Artists and the Holocaust, by Mathew Baigell. Published by Rutgers University Press in 1997.

 

and these DVD or VHS videos:

Fabric of Survival: The Art of Esther Nisenthal Krinitz (13-minute DVD or CD) is a documentary film that includes the interview with Esther Nisenthal Available through Art & Remembrance, which says: "In 1998, acclaimed filmmaker Lawrence Kasdan spent three days interviewing Esther Nisenthal Krinitz and family, with her art work as a focal point. In this beautiful 13-minute documentary film, Kasdan has distilled Esther's story and art into into a poignant memory of survival." (left: front box cover of Fabric of Survival: The Art of Esther Nisenthal Krinitz)

Minerva Teichert: A Mission In Paint is a 46 minute video documentary on the art and life of Minerva Teichert. LDS Video says of the video:

Minerva Teichert is one of the most beloved painters in Latter-day Saint history. Her distinctive style of painting can be found in temples, Church magazines, and books around the world. This high-quality KBYU documentary is a fantastic introduction to one of the heroes of the Western and Latter-day Saint artistic traditions...
 
This documentary was written by Tim Slover, who is well known as the award-winning playwright behind the off-Broadway hit "A Joyful Sound," about Handel. The producer was Peter N. Johnson, the man behind "Mountain of the Lord", "How Rare a Possession" and other Church videos, as well as the upcoming Book of Mormon feature film "A Voice from the Dust: Journey to the Promised Land." The director of photography was none other than Gordon Lonsdale, the successful cinematographer of TV series such as Haunted, Providence, Space: Above and Beyond and Northern Exposure.

TFAO does not maintain a lending library of videos or sell videos. Click here for information on how to borrow or purchase copies of VHS videos and DVDs listed in TFAO's Videos -DVD/VHS, an authoritative guide to videos in VHS and DVD format.

A 3/24/08 search within the TFAO digital library retrieved:

 

Note: To date, TFAO has not been able to locate significant information on American art derived from faith communities other than that for Judeo-Christian topics. Readers and institutions with links and materials derived from other faith communities to share with TFAO will be appreciated.

Contents listed within topics are largely derived from articles and essays in Resource Library, which is a publication of Traditional Fine Arts Organization.Where identified and available, included with each topic are also listings of:

-- books published on paper that are devoted exclusively to the topic
-- magazine articles published on paper that are devoted exclusively to the topic
-- DVD and VHS videos devoted exclusively to the topic (see Videos for examples)
-- online audio files with substantial content devoted to the topic (see Audio Online for examples)
-- online video files with substantial content devoted to the topic (see Videos Online for examples)
-- online texts not published in Resource Library, with substantial content devoted to the topic (see Articles and Essays Online for examples)
-- online museum exhibitions devoted exclusively to the topic
-- websites devoted exclusively to the topic

For teachers and students wishing to study American art history from additional perspectives such as race and ethnic orientation, Resource Library contains texts related to a plethora of subjects. An easy way to identify specific texts is to use Resource Library's search feature, as articles and essays are fully indexed. Since American art museums often focus on local art history, an index to assist in identification of articles and essays with a regional focus is useful. See Resource Library's Sources of Articles and Essays Indexed by State within the United States for a handy guide.

TFAO welcomes volunteers to further the broadening of knowledge of American representational art. To learn more about TFAO's many volunteer opportunities please click here. Qualified volunteers are welcome to contribute suggestions for additional content in this catalogue. Please see Catalogue and database management for details.

For more information on volunteering please send an email to:

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