An Introduction to Martin Earle Sacred Art and Furnishings

Today I wished to introduce you to some of the work of Martin Earle of Martin Earle Sacred Art and Furnishings. Martin is based out of England and studied at the Royal College of Art. His work ranges from first millennium iconographic depictions (a shared tradition of both the Christian East and West let it be remembered), to relief sculpture, mosaic design as well as metalwork, altarpieces and so much more. His style is decidedly classical and medieval in its focus and done wth great attention to the tradition.

One of his most recent pieces is a medieval Italian style crucifix that is destined for the English college in Rome and will be placed within the library of that venerable institution -- hence, Martin explains, the particular emphasis upon books that can be found within the design. For this particular design he also drew upon inspirations from the apsidal mosaic of one of Rome's most stunning churches, the basilica of San Clemente. Let's take a look.

One can see the figure of the crucified Christ surrounded by Our Lady and St. John. Within the arms of the cross are found St. Bede -- the patron of the college -- and St. Paul.  Beneath the foot of the cross are images of two deer drinking from a stream with the blood of Christ running down upon it and the mountain, an image derived from Psalm 41/42: "As the hart longs for running streams, so my soul longs for Thee, O God."

Let's take a closer look at some of the details so that you will get a better sense of the overall quality of the work.

"As the hart longs for running streams, so my soul longs for Thee, O God." (Psalm 41/42)

Detail of St. John, the Beloved Disciple

The crown of victory

Detail of the face of Christ

Detail of St. Paul

Detail of the Virgin Mary

Really quite exquisitely executed, exhibiting both a vibrancy and delicacy at the same time -- not an easy feat. 

As mentioned, this is purely an introduction to Martin's work and we will certainly be looking to feature it again in future articles. However, for those of you who simply cannot wait until those come out, do head over to the Studio's website.