St Francis of Assisi Preaching to the Fish 

Curator: What a serene painting, Editor. It is called "St Francis of Assisi Preaching to the Fish" by Luc-Olivier Merson, crafted with oil paints, and presents a scene brimming with nature and devotion. What's your initial take? Editor: A wistful quiet hangs about it, doesn’t it? That hazy sunset lends the entire scene this quality of almost… long ago. I feel the gentle lapping of the water more than the zealous sermon. Is it intended as such? Curator: Well, in looking at this through the lens of history painting and Academic Art style, Merson isn’t necessarily interested in stark realism. Consider the conventions he is employing. Instead of just relaying facts, he conveys spiritual sentimentality. It positions St. Francis within a grand tradition. Editor: But aren’t grand traditions simply stories retold? I love the storytelling. It really taps into our collective yearning to find echoes of divinity in ordinary things. And those fish, silvery flashes just below the surface! Is it romanticizing a touch too much to imagine the fish enraptured, shimmering scales aquiver, contemplating his sermon? Curator: Perhaps. One could interpret it instead through art institutions of the late 19th century. Consider Salon culture and its tastes for exotic narratives. Even in religious paintings like this one, artists were savvy to appeal to such market demands and to social tastes around that market demand. Editor: Always thinking about the institutions! What about us? It is in these images that transcendence occurs, that our interior echoes with nature! I suspect Merson felt akin to Francis, as any true creative might, eager to share wisdom not just with fellow humans, but all the creatures of our miraculous planet. The image really takes me back to when I thought it profound talking with squirrels in the park. Curator: I hear you, the pull of narrative is very strong in this art style. Romanticism sees the individual experience as history as well. Yet, perhaps this artistic choice does have political motives; it seeks out those deep sentiments, so perhaps one can find beauty amidst a turbulent historical landscape. Editor: I believe I’ll carry the silvery stillness of it with me today. Such a delightful piece about interconnectedness. Curator: Indeed, I might have to explore Merson's piece and its role in the socio-political history a bit further this week now that you have stirred my curiosity about divinity.