Analyzing art: Rembrandt’s powerful ‘Christ before Pilate’
The theater in which the tragic scene unfolds is a stone-paved Roman courtyard, teeming with life.
Joynel Fernandes
Latest articles by Joynel Fernandes
What happened to Thomas after his famous episode of incredulity? Art knows the answer
The Acta Thomae, a document principally concerning the saint’s life, takes this story of faith forward.
Analyzing Art: Oh, the things you’ll see in Titian’s ‘The Miracles of St. Anthony of Padua’
Adultery, dismemberment, and talking babies -- there's a lot to unpack here.
Analyzing art: What can you see in ‘The Expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise’?
Unlock the deep spiritual meaning in Benjamin West's painting of the Garden of Eden.
Analyzing art: The iconography of the Ascension through the ages
How Christ's journey to Heaven has been depicted in art over the centuries.
Analyzing art: What do you see in this painting of Christ as the Good Shepherd?
One key image: It is Jesus who unlocks the gate for the sheep that respond to his "voice."
Picturing the Passion: What do we see at da Vinci’s ‘The Last Supper’?
The Apostles react with bewilderment, guilt, doubt, and betrayal when Jesus reveals "One of you is going to betray me."
Picturing the Passion: ‘Pieta’ by Michelangelo
The most "perfect" block of marble becomes the embodiment of perfection itself.
Picturing the Passion: “Christ Carrying the Cross” by Hieronymus Bosch
The image of Jesus remains calm amidst the sneering, scowling figures around him.
Jesus’ Temple tantrum: What in the world is going on in ‘Christ Cleansing the Temple’?
The work by an unknown Dutch artist represented a revolution in sacred art.
Picturing the Passion: “The Mocking of Christ” by Fra Angelico
Another in a series on Christ's Way of the Cross as seen in the creations of the Great Masters.
What do the animals represent in “Christ in the Wilderness”?
Jesus is pictured surrounded by wild beasts, which each have an important allegorical meaning.
Picturing the Passion: Jesus washes his disciples’ feet
Take a journey on Jesus' "Way of the Cross" with the Great Masters. This is the second of 12 meditations to take you through Lent.
Picturing the Passion: ‘Christ Taking Leave of His Mother’
Take a journey on Jesus' "Way of the Cross" with the Great Masters. This is the first of twelve meditations to take you through Lent.
Art matters: If John the Baptist “decreases,” why is Jesus so small?
A look at Ottavio Vannini's painting, "The Pointer," a work of art that decorates the Church of San Gaetano in Florence.
A closer look at “The Adoration of the Magi” by Gentile da Fabriano
Flooded with details, the painting boasts of a rich narrative.
A closer look at “The Procession of the Magi” by Benozzo Gozzoli
Immortality is what mortals often seek. Benozzo Gozzoli’s "Procession of the Magi" gave the Medici exactly that.
A closer look at ‘The Census at Bethlehem’ by Pieter Bruegel
Why did Bruegel choose a quiet moment of less significance in lieu of the ‘in vogue’ scenes of Christmas like the Nativity or the Adoration of the Magi?
A closer look at “The Visitation” by Piero di Cosimo
One of the most intriguing artists of Italian Renaissance, Piero di Cosimo (1462 – 1522) was known for the "strangeness of his brain."
A closer look at “Saint Joseph’s Dream,” by Georges de la Tour
Georges de la Tour takes this dramatic scene to the next level.