"Amid the Christmas celebrations at the Vatican last month, four artists working in St. Peter's Square transformed 720 tons of sand
into a sweeping, 52-foot-wide nativity scene. Impressive though the
result was - a sculptural triptych with Jesus, Mary, and Joseph flanked by
an angel, farm animals, the three wise men, and some well-wishers, all
rendered in granular detail - it was a far cry from the thousands of
treasures hanging nearby in the Vatican's towering basilica and the
complex of museums beyond.
"For centuries,
the Catholic Church was one of the world's most important collectors and
patrons of art, but in recent decades, the Vatican's holiday nativity
scene has often been one of its most high-profile artistic
contributions. This shift didn't happen overnight - or even in a
generation - but across centuries, and it is inseparable from the
evolution of modern European nations, the secularization of public life,
and the rise of the art market."
In a recent commentary, writer Benjamin Sutton reflected on some of the changes in art patronage offered by the Catholic Church.
To access Mr. Sutton's complete essay, please visit:
Artsy: What Happened to the Catholic Church's Art Patronage (10 JAN19)
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