Artistic Masterpiece comes to the College – 23 May 2010

A painting of the mystery of Pentecost took its place in the College on Whit Sunday, 23rd May 2010..

The finished painting

Copyright © The College of St Barnabas, 2010

The initial sketch

When artist James Lynch visited the College to see the hanging of his Stations of the Cross, he offered his existing painting of the Coming of the Holy Spirit to be positioned after the depiction of the Resurrection.

But it wouldn’t fit in the intended space! So James spontaneously offered to paint a new picture for the College of the moment when, with the sound of a rushing mighty wind, things which looked like flames alighted on the disciples as the Holy Spirit was poured upon them.

With the agreement of the Friends to fund the project, work began in Spring 2009. By the summer the preliminary sketches were complete and James had embarked on a small colour study before starting work on the full size canvas.

The picture was complete in time for the great Festival of the Holy Spirit, when it was blessed by the Warden at the end of Mass.

The artist with a colour study in his studio

To read more about the work of the Friends,click here