Then [the Rich Man] said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send [Lazarus] to my father's house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead. (Luke 16:27-31)
In a composition combining the styling of contemporary cinematic storyboards with medieval narrative paintings, London-born Irish Artist Brian Whelan perfectly captures the dramatic extremes of the story of Lazarus and the Rich Man in this final featured work from my series on Art of the Parables in the Sacred Art Pilgrim Collection. Whelan has a fine eye for details. In this carefully blocked-out scene, the purple robe of the cake-eating glutton in this life provides a comfort blanket for the beggar in Abraham’s bosom. The sore-covered body of Lazarus spans and divides the canvas, reminding us just why the Rich Man is trapped in Hell. The dogs cross boundaries, seeking pastry crumbs fallen from the table, while nuzzling their way into Paradise. Whelan claims his corgi models have nothing to do with Britain’s royals and if the depiction of the Rich Man brings anyone to mind, keep it to yourself! (John Kohan)