Jennifer Bunge
Christ Carrying the Cross
The Savior of the world seems alone in a turbulent crowd of distracted people: the repentant criminal at the
top right appears pallid and sickly yet determinedly serene despite his turbid surroundings; the unrepentant
criminal at the bottom right, ignoring his fetters, finds it imperative to expose his friends to whatever
phenomenon is on his screen; Simon of Cyrene wrongly imagines that he is alleviating the weight of Christ’s
ligneous burden; Saint Veronica has just wiped the brow of Christ and smiles greedily, having acquired her
own personal relic as a souvenir of the occasion. The quiet solitary figure of Christ is hardly noticed by
anyone and may appear unimportant, yet in the middle of the chaos he is still available to those who may
seek him.
In his 1998 book “Bosch, the Complete Paintings by the Visionary Master”, Erik Larsen describes Bosch’s
1515 rendition of “Christ Carrying the Cross” as being raised to “an almost hysterical pitch. . . . The only
heads that express calm are those of Christ, in the center, and of Saint Veronica, at the bottom left of the
picture. All the rest is filled with caricatural heads that suggest in their distortions and grimaces
psychopathic personalities at the climax of excitement. The obvious aim appears to be the vilification and
humiliation of Christ.”
$1,800 | Acrylic and mixed media on panel | 34 x 57 in
Jennifer Bunge
Christ Risen
“Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.” But what happens when this Memorial Acclamation
has become too familiar? What happens when the distractions become too loud and overpowering?
As inspiration for this piece I looked to the many representations of the Resurrection in art history. In
“Resurrection of Christ and Women at the Tomb” by Early Italian Renaissance Fra Angelico - c1440 - the
mourning women are so intent on staring at the empty tomb that they don’t even notice the angel nor are
they aware of Jesus’ appearance in a bright, glowing cloud. Meanwhile, the figures in Northern Renaissance
artist Pieter Bruegel the Elder’s “Resurrection” - c1562 - are all in states of shock and disarray. In “The
Resurrection” by Spanish Renaissance painter El Greco - c1595 - Christ is central and risen in bright light
and while some of the figures recognize him, most are in various sates of shock and incomprehension.
How can we avoid the addiction and distraction that can so easily sidetrack us into losing focus on the real
beauty and power of Jesus?
$1880 | Acrylic and mixed media on Panel | 57 x 34 in
Jennifer Bunge
Go to Dark Gethsemane
Go to dark Gethsemane,
You who feel the tempter's pow'r;
Your Redeemer's conflict see;
Watch with Him one bitter hour;
Turn not from His griefs away;
Learn of Jesus Christ to pray.
James Montgomery 1825
$320 | 16 inches square | Acrylic and ink on panel
Jennifer Bunge
The Strife is O'er
The strife is o'er, the battle done;
the victory of life is won;
the song of triumph has begun.
Alleluia!
Lord, by the stripes which wounded thee,
from death's dread sting thy servants free,
that we may live and sing to thee.
Alleluia!
Translated by Francis Pott 1861
$250 | 13 inches square | acrylic & ink on panel
Jennifer Bunge
Upward Journey
$60 | 8.5x11 inches | acrylic & ink on Paper
About the Artist
WEBSITE jenniferbungeart.com
