Terry Nelson's 2014 Image of Venerable Matt Talbot

Terry Nelson unveiled his new image of Venerable Matt Talbot today at http://abbey-roads.blogspot.com/2014/05/a-little-art-exhibition-for-our-lady-of.html.

      Ven. Matt Talbot by Terry Nelson, 2014

Terry’s narrative about this painting is available at http://upyourstreet.blogspot.com/?zx=ff8dc82b4705d20e, a portion of which is reproduced here:

”In this painting I depict Matt around the age he died, he is holding a rosary indicating his devotion to Our Lady and the means of his overcoming addiction.  I relied upon the sculpture of Matt in Dublin and the only known photo of him to capture the likeness I produced in my painting.  In the background is a facsimile or impression of Newcomen  Bridge crossing the Royal Canal, at the moment when he decided to stop drinking at the age of 28.  On the other side - as if completing the bridge - which symbolizes conversion, we see the door of a church, within Matt being embraced by Christ.  This is suggestive of the doctrine of St. Catherine of Siena who understood the cross - or rather Christ Crucified - as the bridge between men and God.”

His increasingly popular 2009 image of Matt Talbot is below:

Our previous posts about and by Terry can be found at http://venerablematttalbotresourcecenter.blogspot.com/search?q=terry+nelson

Imagining Matt's Tenement Room

In contrast to Flora Mitchell's commemorative painting of Matt Talbot's room (THREE WORKS COMMEMORATING THE LIFE OF MATT TALBOT, the second photograph is of "a typical room in a tenement, not unlike the room in which Matt Talbot would have lived," according to the St. Agatha's Parish, Dublin, website (http://www.stagathasparish.ie/archive-pictures/1918-1928). St. Agatha is a church where Matt regularly attended mass and where the current parish priest is Fr. Brian Lawless, the current Vice-Postulator for the Cause of Venerable Matt Talbot.

THREE WORKS COMMEMORATING THE LIFE OF MATT TALBOT

These paintings are by Flora H. Mitchell, 1890-1993, and this text is from Whyte's at http://www.whytes.ie/ImageDisplay.asp?Auction=20070917&offset=140&IMAGE=142)

"The Venerable Matt Talbot (1856-1925) was a working class Dubliner who renounced alcohol and led an exemplary life of piety and clarity. He died on the way to Sunday Mass and was initially buried in a pauper's grave. In 1952 his remains were exhumed and transferred to a double vault, depicted here. He was beatified by Pope Paul VI.
Individual titles are No. 18 Rutland St, Dublin, where Matt Talbot resided (exterior of building), Vault, Glasnevin Cemetery, and No. 18 Upper Rutland St., Dublin (interior)"

Note: We appreciate these paintings being available online for viewing by Whyte's.
Information about the artist can be found at http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-61551592.html or by emailing us at ven.matt.talbot.resource.center@gmail.com
for the complete article.