A tableau of religious icons beneath the apartment's foyer wall of crosses, milagros and prayer ornaments. The pewter tulip tray at right is by Serge Nekrassoff (1895-1985), the Russian-American metalsmith. It serves as a catch-all for mail. A 19th-century French church altarpiece, stitched in gold threads is beneath the trays.
The tray at left with angels at either end is Mexican silver, found in Sevilla, Spain. The tray contains various glass and hammered-silver candleholders, as well as tin milagros from Santa Fe; a 19th-century French silver and gold religious icon; a 19th-century cobalt glass and silver Spanish communion chalice, found in Sevilla and a Spanish crucifix icon of tin and brass, the latter found at the secret brocante in Passy, Paris. The tray also holds an antique French ivory-and-silver rosary and a modern aqua-beaded and silver Spanish rosary from a convent in Sevilla.
A white folk art cross from Guatemala, also found in France is flanked by two silver hearts linked by a chain. One of the hearts still holds a handwritten prayer request. The hearts are from a former convent in Marseilles, France. The wooden monk figure is from a former French monastery. The silver cross draped around his neck was a gift. The framed drawing of a hand holding a pen dripping blood was a gift from Syrian opposition political cartoonist and publisher Ali Ferzat, with an inscription in Arabic.
No, I am not Catholic! As a child, I went to a Baptist church; when I was nine, my mother took us to a Presbyterian church, of which I am still a member. But I am drawn to religious icons and symbols from world religions. One of the things I like about Santa Fe (which of course means Holy Faith) is the little prayer niches or shrines in so many beautiful old adobe houses. Some of these homes even have their own chapels. Two of my favourite books about collecting religious icons are Mary Emmerling's Art of the Cross and Laura Cerwinske's In a Spiritual Style.
P.S. Speaking of religion, John McCain has made a bizarre choice in embracing the endorsement of Rev. John Hagee of Texas. Hagee advocates wars based on Biblical mandates; rants against the Catholic Church, as well as Islam and claims that Hurricane Katrina "was, in fact, the judgment of God against the city of New Orleans." Really, one has to wonder about McCain's judgment in aligning himself with such an extremist.
I am a catholic, but I am not a church goer, and I am more spiritual than religous. McCain wants to win, he will align himself with any conservative nut case if he can make a case for himself.
I love the crosses.
Posted by: Yoli | 03 March 2008 at 20:40
Must be nice to meet this collection every day! I'm not catholic either, but like the way belief is put into form in any religion; hinduism and catholisism has the richness of images in common.
Posted by: bibbi | 02 March 2008 at 13:34
Hey Tara! Your post is wonderful. I too am drawn to the beauty and mystique of religious icons, from all faiths, but it's the religious art of the Old Masters that excites me most. Did you know our Gemma collects crosses?
Posted by: atyzyjudie | 01 March 2008 at 13:43
But, truthfully, do you think "they" care? Geesh. Anyhoo, as you well know, I too collect religious icons. I wasn't brought up in any religion by my parents other than knowing God was in your heart. I did, however, attend a Baptist church with my friends at times. When I met my hub to be, I became a Catholic. I heard Deepak Chopra once say to a child confused with organized religion to tell people his religion is love. I have clung to that image ever since. So I will say, my religion is love. It doesn't get much better than that.
Posted by: Rosa | 01 March 2008 at 06:52
What a sacred place in your home. All so beautiful but the Guatemalan cross is so unique and special. I love Guatemala and I too appreciate religious stuffs. Have a great rest of today Tara!
xox
Constance
Posted by: rochambeau | 29 February 2008 at 22:11
HI,
Love the religious objects. I was raised a Catholic but fell away from my faith in my youth. As I've grown older, I have rediscovered the beauty and peace that these items can impart.
I especially love sacred heart images and Virgin Mary's, much to the chagrin of some religious groups. Some of the very same folks who passed out pamphlets at showings of the Passion of the Christ will tell you that you should not wear, buy, collect crucifixes. Oh well.
I find many of these objects not only beautiful but soothing to have about the house. Put on some relaxing music, light a few candles, a small glass of wine and take of your shoes. One doesn't have to be Catholic to appreciate Catholic objects. I also love Russian icons and I am most certainly not Russian!
Posted by: Val | 29 February 2008 at 21:24
such beautiful treasures. i love the tulip 'mail' plate and silver hearts!!!
blaiming god for the katherina disaster or any disaster?
where have these people live in the past decade...and who accepts these preaching?? scary though, sounds like back into the middle ages!! they should be chased into a deep remode forest to lock it up with hugh fenses!
Posted by: marita | 29 February 2008 at 20:44
A very nice collection with history and you have arranged it so very well it gives me the impetus and desire to recreate a similar table like yours as my own. I believe one does not have to be necessarily Catholic or religious to find attraction to iconic symbols that represent in many ways the history, love and humanity of the human spirit. Lovely and inspiring...thank you for sharing.
Posted by: rebecca | 29 February 2008 at 19:49
These are absolutely beautiful. It's funny you say what you did, because I feel the same attraction and I am not Catholic, either. Raised Congregational and now consider myself more of "new thought" or mishmash of believing lots of different things that are powerful and uplifting from several faiths. But I connect to these icons in a powerfully spiritual way as well, for reasons I cannot understand, apart from the fact that they are simply beautiful.
Posted by: Jeanie | 29 February 2008 at 18:50
You have a fabulous collection. Mine is much smaller, but I'm drawn to these objects too. I think the monk might be St. Anthony. xoxo
Posted by: Colette | 29 February 2008 at 18:37
I am drawn to these Catholic religious icons as well!! You have a beautiful collection from around the world...
Posted by: stephanie | 29 February 2008 at 18:02
Although I'm not a believer I find myself drawn to some religious art too. I heard the term "reverent agnostic" recently and found it fit me perfectly.
The more I hear about McCain the more he gives me the creeps.
Posted by: deirdre | 29 February 2008 at 17:57
Beautiful, simply beautiful
Posted by: UL | 29 February 2008 at 17:47
Tara, I sometimes think you and I are spiritual sisters. I was raised Presbyterian by a Baptist mother, and I have a deep love for all religious icons, too. Now that I'm moving I'm trying to figure out where my collection would best be displayed. Needless to say I've been loving your photos.
I also ran across an old post of yours about using our "good" things instead of keeping them for a special occasion. It mirrored what I've been thinking about lately. I want to use more of the beautiful things my parents left me. I don't want to come to the end of my life and think that I never properly honored those things, nor all the special things in my life.
Posted by: Dargie | 29 February 2008 at 14:03