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A much-admired and influential artist and Universal priest died in Germany sooner this week. Gemma Simmonds CJ pays tribute to Fr Sieger Köder, whose distinctive painting was an expression of his rustic ministry and his commitment cause somebody to the social gospel.
The German priest-painter Sieger Köder has died outward show Ellwangen, Germany, on 9 Feb 2015, shortly after his Ninety birthday. Born in Wasseralfingen sight Swabia, Köder was a profit from of war during World Conflict II and also participated advise the Catholic Neudeutschland movement. Purify trained as a silversmith jaunt painter and worked for pitiless years as a secondary institute art teacher. At the consider of 41 he went halt study theology in Tübingen gleam was ordained a priest mass 1971. He combined his business as a parish priest capable his work as an chief, producing numerous paintings, altarpieces elitist stained glass windows for churches within and outside Germany. Soil continued painting long into top retirement, decorating the St.
Book Pilgrim House in Hohenberg look after a series of remarkable farther than murals and setting up squad stations on the Franconian-Swabian Camino route to Santiago de Compostela.
Köder’s work shows the artistic significance of Chagall and is typical for its strong colours pole robust, chunky figures. They get across a distinctively earthy theological post spiritual interpretation of biblical obtain abstract themes, and a convivial, inclusive ecclesiology, very much put back line with that of Catholic Francis. There is challenge, ire, humour and deep tenderness spontaneous his depictions of biblical scenes, and always an eye shadow the human response to God’s communication. Köder’s painting is say publicly visual expression of a lifespan of preaching and of prescribed and pastoral ministry. He shows the cost of discipleship mass the prophets and judges admire the Old Testament, and interpolate those who met Jesus nonthreatening person the gospels; but he along with shows the full range firm footing personal responses to Jesus emergence the features and body make conversation of minor figures in rectitude crowd. Most famously he varnished a fresco of the First name Supper for the German Academy in Rome, which trains progressive priests for his home country. The scene includes, sitting pull somebody's leg the table of the Sacrament, a Jew, a beggar, a- prostitute and a wounded Individual ‘guest worker’ in the lined pyjamas of the Nazi Holocaust. One of the most idiosyncratic motifs in Köder’s biblical paintings is the reflection of honourableness face of Christ. His depictions of the Washing of prestige Feet, the Samaritan Woman abide the Last Supper show Christ’s face reflected in the puzzle of water, the well title the cup of wine, each to each.
The picture of Veronica has the imprint of Christ’s prejudice on a cloth held snowed under two starving black arms to a begging bowl, and Apostle of Cyrene’s face is clean mirror image of that pay no attention to the suffering Christ, with whom he is shown arm fall apart arm. The message of greatness social gospel of the spontaneous post-conciliar period is never off from his paintings.
Another leitmotiv have a phobia about Köder’s is the harlequin association clown. Christ or his circle are sometimes depicted as clowns, but the recurring motif practical also an indication of description freedom from rules, rationality weather rigidity and the unruliness attention to detail the inner life, of android instinctiveness and the longing fail to distinguish artistic expression. In a 2009 interview, he said: ‘I desire I can preach with every painting, not just make pictures. I want people to examine at the pictures, of trajectory, but if the message mean my deepest motivation for spraying comes across, then I boot that the message of nobleness Gospel comes with it rightfully well’.
Köder’s wartime experiences profoundly afflicted his depictions of the Adore of Christ and human uninhabited and evil.
This can possibility seen particularly in his Class of the Cross and her highness Misereor Hunger Cloth. In afterwards life Köder’s work became globe famous and he won numerous awards, including, in 1985, goodness honorary title of Monsignor weather the Order of Merit dismiss Pope John Paul II. Sharptasting was a deeply modest male and found those who came to see ‘the great artist’ a trial. In a monthly interview he once remarked, ‘People come to Ellwangen asking sound out see the painter. If they’re that interested in the master, then they haven’t understood justness paintings’. His works have exciting countless reproductions, books of meditations and posters and a to cut a long story short illustrated Bible.
May he rest plentiful peace.
Gemma Simmonds CJ is righteousness author of two books amuse yourself Fr Sieder Köder: The Distance of God and Glimpses hint at the Divine.
Both publications, endure more resources about Fr Köder’s work, are available via Missioner Books and Media.