Above is a portion of a monumental 44”x 66” oil painting by the duo that depicts the moment when the Roman officials realize they have been thwarted by the overwhelming love of St. Lawrence for the poor of Rome, the true "treasures of the Church." Below is an image of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, one of the most beloved saints of our age with the theme of Ecclesia Triumphans. As she lay dying of tuberculosis, she is reported to have said, “After my death I will let fall a shower of roses.”
Works of George and Polly reflect a startlingly realistic technique, no doubt ushered in and developed over time by the invigorating study of classical antiquity. Their works share the distinct style of Bernini and his favorite contemporary painter, Reni. Images appear as classical statues, in sturdy realism, effused with the color, light, and motion of the Baroque. A common theme is the triumph of the Faith over adversity, also a popular subject in Counter-Reformation Rome. The artists have clearly studied the Church's artistic patrimony with care.
The all'antica style of the artists makes their works especially fitting for church interiors and grand murals. In an age when so many painters have succumbed to new trends and divorced themselves from naturalistic portrayals, the electrifying imagination of the artists shows through, with sparkling images that glint in the light, encouraging religious emotion. The art properly communicates by dramatic force making thought and emotion external, images that are specially alive with form while penetrating space in a dynamic way.
Michelangelo, also a painter, like Bernini was first a sculptor. He is famous for his quote that every block of marble first enclosed an ideal figure that the sculptor had the pleasure to release. The same is true in some ways with painting on canvas and fresco. The artist brings about by creating images that in some ways are hybrid of sculpture and architecture. Making the creations like a living organism, embodying forms and figures as well as fantastic architecture.
Although the Roman seicento is over, may God be praised for artists like George and Polly who continue the tradition of great painters. I encourage pastors to get in touch with them for commissions, helping to promote their resurgent style with its impressive topographic realism, a balance between classical inspiration and realistic observation just as a cook blends diverse ingredients. These solid works will inspire well into the future.
