Today we remember Menno Simons, the founder of the Mennonites and leader in the Anabaptist Reformation. Although he had many enemies in the Roman Church who wanted to have him killed as a heretic- and while many were martyred for reading his writings, hiding him, feeding him and allowing him to sleep in their homes, he died a natural death on this day in 1561. Although the Mennonite Church does not recognize saints in the same way as Roman Catholics, Orthodox, Anglican and some Lutherans do, Menno is nonetheless a model of vurtuous and goldy living for them. This image is an icon written by Jivko Donkov for a series called Anabaptist Imagery, produced by Graber Designs. proceeds from the sell of the icon goes to support the work of the Historical Committee of Mennonite Church USA. You may purchase a copy here.Enjoy these works of art by Mennonite and Amish artists in thanksgiving for the life and witness of Menno Simons. The first few represent the "traditional" art of Mennonites, which were limited to landscapes and decorative art, after a church elder banned portraits and images of God citing the second commandment. Some contemporary Mennonite artists are pushing the edges and experiemneting not only with portraitures, but innovative themes which offer social statements.
Landscape with Church and Village, Jacob Isaackszoon van Ruysdael
View of Delft, Jan van der Heyden
Fraltur art Eagle, David Kulp
Fraktur Art, Heebner House, Susanna Heebner
Jerk-Over Temple, Don Michael Swartzentruber
1 comment:
Oh, Rob, these are beautiful. Thanks so much. I really need to come by here more often...
P.S. The word verification thingie, which has the most interesting quasi-words as you know, is "stellize." Which could mean "to make into a star."
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