You’ve heard about The Way of Beauty, now learn how to walk the path This summer the Way of Beauty Atelier is running a long-weekend retreat: Traditional Paths to Inspiration and Creativity. Based upon the methods by which artists were trained to apprehend beauty and open themselves to inspiration, this has been adapted for everyone and has application in all activities. No special experience of ability is assumed. So artistic or not, creative or not, young or old alike, it doesn’t matter. Creativity and inspiration are great things whatever you do. It will be a weekend of prayer, traditional chant, talks, discussion and reflection. For more information and to sign up, go here and once there scroll down to the bottom of the page.
The painting shown, by the way, is Schedoni’s Holy Family teaching Jesus to read. Schedoni lived in Italy in the late 16th and early 17th century. Here are some more images in a similar vein. From the top, Raphael; Annigoni’s 20th century St Joseph teaching the boy Jesus carpentry; and de Grebber’s Virgin teaching the infant Christ to read from about 1630
The Way of Beauty 
David, I love these paintings of Christ being taught to read. I find it so interesting that they all depict him as an infant since children typically don’t learn to read until maybe 4 as an early reader and 6 as a later reader. We are still working on reading in my second grade classroom. Does that have to do with any tradition or is it based perhaps on the premise of Jesus being full of knowledge from birth? What do you think?
Huhm…I’m not sure. I hadn’t thought about this before. Perhaps you’re right.
What a wonderful opportunity for would-be artists! Wish I were there…
It’s a shame you can’t be Andrea. Spread the word! Hope all is well in Rome with you and Tony.
Very nice choice of paintings. Also enjoying the series.
thanks Matt. How are things out in Italy? Regarding those paintings, is it just me but does the boy Christ in the bottom painting just look characteristically Dutch? He seems to look like so many Frans Hals portraits. I can’t say why, perhaps there was a look of the people there.