The Transfiguration in Modern Art & As Exodus

At the Transfiguration, Jesus talks with Moses and Elijah about the “exodus” he will accomplish in Jerusalem (Lk 9:31). “They were glorious to see. And they were speaking about his exodus from this world, which was about to be fulfilled in Jerusalem” (NLT). “They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem” (NIV). “Who appeared in glory, and spoke of his death which he should accomplish at Jerusalem” (KJV).

Praise be for rescue “out of error into truth, out of sin into righteousness, out of death into life” (Book of Common Prayer, p. 368).

“Three key events occurred at Mount Sinai: the LORD’s glory was revealed to Moses, the plans for the tabernacle were laid out, and the Law was given. On the Mount of Transfiguration, we see analogies to each of these.” Read an enlightening series of Bible studies on this topic, by Alastair Roberts, at
http://www.reformation21.org/blog/2015/12/transfigured-hermeneutics-tran.php
and
http://www.reformation21.org/blog/2016/01/transfigured-hermeneutics-3-tr.php
and
http://www.reformation21.org/blog/2016/02/transfigured-hermeneutics-4-je.php

In this blog post, continue to read more below about the Transfiguration in relation to Exodus, learn one new hymn, and view a collection of modern art depictions of the Transfiguration that I’ve curated based on my aesthetic values and personal taste. The art in this post is from France, Spain, Canada, USA, India and Scotland. All of the art was created post-1960 as far as I know.

This is a companion piece to my other blog posts, The Transfiguration in Global Art
http://globalworship.tumblr.com/post/110604805435/transfiguration-global-art

and More Transfiguration Art
http://globalworship.tumblr.com/post/138903662785/more-transfiguration-art

Rev. Lil Smith suggests a guided meditation to use when praying with images of the Transfiguration; read it at

https://prayingthelectionary.wordpress.com/2012/02/17/praying-with-art-he-was-transfigured-before-them/


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The Transfiguration by Michael D. O’Brien, Canada
http://www.studiobrien.com/gallery/modern/

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Transfiguration by Laura James, USA
http://laurajamesart.com/portfolio/book-of-gospels/

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The Transfiguration, giclee print by Peter Howson, Scotland
http://sacredartmeditations.com/life/detail/36

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From http://stmatthewbt.org/2010/02/14/the-transfiguration-prefigured-a-mountaintop-experience-before-the-exodus-luke-928-36/:

Moses and Elijah and Jesus talked about Jesus’ “exodus,” which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. From here on the Mount of Transfiguration, from this point on in the story, Jesus will set his face to go to Jerusalem, and there he will accomplish a new and even greater exodus for God’s people, the greatest exodus of all. And this is where the story has tremendous implications for you and me.

You see, you and I were groaning under the bondage of slavery, slavery to sin and Satan. Satan, that old Pharaoh, is a harsh taskmaster. Afflictions are the chains that bind us. Oppression is the whip that lashes our back. Guilt and death are the heavy loads that weigh us down and drag us to the ground. And there is no way we could free ourselves from that state of slavery. There was no way out.

But Jesus comes to break that oppression. He is the leader of the New Exodus, escape from sin and death and grave. Jesus tells our old Pharaoh, “Let my people go!” But how Jesus will accomplish this exodus, at Jerusalem–this is where the story will take an interesting twist.

Remember, which event led directly to the Exodus from Egypt? It was the plague of the death of the firstborn. The angel of death would come over every household in Egypt and strike down the firstborn there. And that plague would have struck the homes of the Israelites, too, if not for the protection that the Lord provided in the Passover lamb. The Israelites were instructed to sacrifice a lamb without spot or blemish and to spread its blood on the doorposts of their house. The angel of death would see the blood and pass over that house, and their home would be spared. And at the same time, the death of the firstborn in Egypt would be the tipping point that would finally let the people of Israel go, and they would make their escape out of bondage and start heading toward the Promised Land.

That all is what is fulfilled in the New Exodus that Jesus will accomplish at Jerusalem for you and me. He himself is the perfect Passover Lamb, by whose blood we are spared death. God sees his blood, the holy precious blood he shed on the cross on our behalf, and death passes over us, even as it fell on his own beloved Son. Christ is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, your sin and mine.

And as a result, we are free. Satan, the old Pharaoh, is defeated. He no longer has any hold on us. Christ is our way of escape, in his person, in his flesh. He leads us out of our bondage. He brings us out, and he is leading us through the wilderness of this world, and we are on our way to the Promised Land of heaven–resurrection from the dead, eternal life with God and his people in joy and blessing forevermore.

For more on the Transfiguration and Exodus, also see
http://www.wordofhisgrace.org/transfiguration.htm

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Mandala of Transfiguration by Jack Haas
http://www.iconoclastpress.com/visionarycosmicnewagepsychedelicart.htm

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Transfiguration by Bernadette Lopez, Spain
http://evangile-et-peinture.org/

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The Transfiguration, mixed media collage by John Kohan, USA
http://sacredartpilgrim.com/pilgrimage/view/19

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Dr. Jan Richardson is a favorite writer and artist. You’ll find her marvelous series of devotional reflections and paintings concerning the Transfiguration at these links to her website:

http://paintedprayerbook.com/2016/02/05/transfiguration-sunday-a-blessing-made-for-coming-down-the-mountain/

http://paintedprayerbook.com/2014/02/23/transfiguration-sunday-when-glory/

http://paintedprayerbook.com/2013/02/03/transfiguration-sunday-dazzling/

http://paintedprayerbook.com/2009/02/15/transfiguration-sunday-show-and-dont-tell/

Of her multiple paintings on the topic, this is my favorite: Transfigure © Jan L. Richardson, USA
http://paintedprayerbook.com/2010/02/07/transfiguration-back-to-the-drawing-board/

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You may like a 1977 hymn by Brian Wren about the Transfiguration titled‘’Christ upon the mountain peak.’


Information and score at
http://www.hymnary.org/text/christ_upon_the_mountain_peak
Lyrics at
http://www.oremus.org/hymnal/c/c109.html

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Transfiguration by James B. Janknegt, USA
http://www.bcartfarm.com/pp180.html

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Transfiguration by Lewis Bowman, USA
http://fineartamerica.com/featured/transfiguration-lewis-bowman.html

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Woodcut of the Transfiguration by Sister Mary Grace Thul, USA
http://www.sistermarygrace.artspan.com/mbr_bio.php

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Macha Chmakoff (France) has created a series of paintings on the Transfiguration. These are two of my favorites in her series:
http://chmakoff.com/

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and

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O God, who before the passion of your only ­begotten Son revealed his glory upon the holy mountain: Grant to us that we, beholding by faith the light of his countenance, may be strengthened to bear our cross, and be changed into his likeness from glory to glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer)

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‘[Son of] Man Glorified’ by Deacon  Lawrence Klimecki
http://www.gryphonrampant.com/

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Jesus’ Transfiguration by Salvador Dali, Spain (1964)
http://www.wikiart.org/en/salvador-dali/iesu-transfigurato-mark-9-4f-1964

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Mount of Transfiguration by Edward Knippers, USA
The artist has theological reasons for painting naked bodies here, read his statement at https://theologyforum.wordpress.com/2008/11/03/art-incarnation-%C2%BB-artist-statement-by-edward-knippers/

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Lucinda Naylor is a favorite artist working in black and white. She’s created nine images of the Transfiguration, see them all at
http://www.eyekons.com/church_image_banks/search?search=transfiguration&artistNames=14

Here are my two favorites of those nine:

Transfiguration of Jesus 5 by Lucinda Naylor

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and

Transfiguration of Jesus 4 by Lucinda Naylor

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See more of Lucinda’s art at the Eyekons online gallery (where you can purchase them without the copyright watermark) and at
http://lucindanaylor.com/

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See my earlier blog posts about Transfiguration here:

The Transfiguration in Global Art
http://globalworship.tumblr.com/post/110604805435/transfiguration-global-art

Sonnet for Transfiguration Sunday: the Love that dances at the heart of things
http://globalworship.tumblr.com/post/28720560205/sonnet-for-transfiguration-sunday-the-love-that

Transfiguration Resources
http://globalworship.tumblr.com/post/110685889040/transfiguration-resources

Sufjan Stevens - ‘The Transfiguration’ song
http://globalworship.tumblr.com/post/42362570586/sufjan-stevens-the-transfiguration

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