Christ and the Apostles 1827

Curator: This is "Christ and the Apostles" by Ferdinand Ruscheweyh, housed here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: My first impression is of stark simplicity. It’s the kind of image that invites contemplation, almost like a whisper instead of a shout. Curator: Absolutely. Note how Ruscheweyh uses a linear style to depict form; it directs our eye through the composition. I wonder, what do you make of the Apostle's garb? Editor: The rendering of the drapery is particularly interesting. The way the cloth folds and falls speaks to its material weight, yet the simplicity of the overall image implies mass production, perhaps for didactic purposes. Curator: That's a keen observation. It makes me think about how faith is materialized, made accessible to the masses through these reproducible images. Editor: Exactly. It's about the democratization of religious iconography through the tools of its production and consumption. Curator: An incredible lens for considering an apostle, isn’t it? Editor: Indeed, it really shifts our perception of faith, and production!