March 31, 2014

Benedictine diary

new mural in the Abbey of Our Lady of Montserrat "Painting is just another way of keeping a diary."
~Pablo Picasso

After eight years painting the interior of the Abbey of Our Lady of Montserrat in San Miguel, Manila (see previous post), Dom Lesmes Lopez and Brother Salvador Alberich left the back wall blank. There may have been a reason for it, but whatever it was, contemporary Benedictine monks did not like "the ugly white wall." So they commissioned the Italian painter Francesco Giannini to create a mural for it, one showing the story of the Benedictines in the Philippines. Working from his hometown of Peschiera del Garda, Giannini spent one year drawing detailed drafts and another year for the actual painting. The mural was inaugurated and blessed in June of 2012.

5 comments:

Olivier said...

c'est magnifique

Tamera said...

It's so beautiful, Hilda! I wish I could spend eight years just painting. Very lovely photos!

William Kendall said...

It is gorgeous work, Hilda, and fits the sanctuary beautifully.

Photo Cache said...

hope this will be taken care of for generations.

Dina said...

A history "book" for all to see and appreciate.