Comments by the Artist
Lisa Steinbrenner Andrews
I would like to thank Father Terence Henry, Father Mike Scanlan, Frank Glazer, and
the Board of Trustees of Franciscan University for having the courage and the confidence
in me to undertake this project. I would also like to thank Susan Hunt for being such a
help in coordinating all the details to make this happen, to Charles White and his
Physical Plant staff for such a great job in hanging and lighting the painting, Bill Jakub
and the Library Staff, and all those whose prayers supported me throughout this process.
I would especially like to thank the student body
of Franciscan University for providing me with the inspiration for the subject of this
painting.
I had no idea when I began this project what a
profound impact it would already have on so many people, and it is only being shown
publicly for the first time today
The story of how it came to be is a testament in itself to the way God uses small
things to make a difference. As I contemplated an image which would be suitable for this
vast wall space, I played with the idea that the John Paul II Library should have an image
incorporating the Pope himself. The idea of showing him at the same stage of life as the
students of the University seemed both original and appropriate. Before developing the
concept further, I wanted to get a “reality check”, so I called my son who is a
student here. If he thought it was an idea worth pursuing, I would do it. His immediate
reaction was, “Awesome!” That momentary reaction made the difference, another
response might have resulted in a different story today. But this is the painting that was
meant to hang here.
And today is such a meaningful time for so many to
see it for the first time. History does not ask us what we want. But it demands that we
participate. I am not a historian or a theologian. But I believe there will be a pre-John
Paul II era and a post-John Paul II era in the study of Church history. The full impact of
his influence on world history may not be understood for many years. Although we are not
the generation to write that chapter, we are the generation to have touched it personally.
I think what we are experiencing in the events of the past week must be similar to what
Francis of Assisi’s followers experienced at his passing
This portrait could not hang in any other place
and have the same significance, the same impact. It was painted for this precise place,
and for you at this precise stage of your lives. In it, I attempted to personalize for you
a critical moment in world and Church history when God called, and someone answered
Karol Wojtyla was once a young adult like you,
with the same struggle to find his place in the world. When he heard the roar of bombs on
that fateful day while praying at Mass, he knew what direction he would take. In some
ways, his decision was easier because it was stark: he could see and touch death at his
doorstep. But he chose the way of life and never looked back, giving us all an embodiment
of Christ’s love for our own age.
I think a good portrait not only has to look like
the person, but it should convey something about his life story through symbols. The Pope
was an athletic man, with a casual grace and relaxed demeanor. I placed him off center on
the canvas, with his head turned towards the opposite edge, as though he was initially
going in one direction in his life, but something caused him to turn towards a different
path with confidence and faith. He actually intended to work in the theater when he
entered the University, but the world became his stage, instead. The storm clouds are an
obvious metaphor, but they are placed both behind him and ahead of him to signify past and
future challenges. He, however, is caught in the clear sky with the light of truth
illuminating his face.
The quote at the bottom of the canvas,
“During Unrest the Lord Will Strike,” is the title and first line of a
nineteenth-century mystical poem written by one of the Pope’s favorite Polish
authors, Juliusz Slowacki. In it, the poet predicts the election of a Slavic Pope who
would one day be a “brother” to humanity. That prediction would come true over a
hundred years later with the election of Pope John Paul II.
The letters are bordered by Morning Glory vines,
which were traditionally known as “Mary’s Mantle” and used as a symbol of
the protective nature of the Blessed Virgin. Karol Wojtyla was saved from death several
times in his youth, even before the assassination attempt which prompted him to credit Our
Lady with saving his life
The rosary he holds is another reference to his
devotion to Our Blessed Mother. It is actually painted from a 70-year-old family rosary
that came from Rome, and which bears a medal with the Papal seal.
The book he holds is inscribed with the words
“King Spirit” which was the title of another poem by Slowacki and also the title
of the first dramatic production of the theater company the Pope helped found while a
student in Krakow during the War.
The landscape on the right shows the façade of
Jagellonian University in Krakow where he studied during his freshman year. The landscape
on the left side is of the stone quarry where he was forced to work by day after the Nazi
invasion of Poland in September of 1939. At night, he and other students met in safe
houses to take classes from faculty of the University who survived the Nazi purge.
I hope as you look at this portrait, you see some
of the strength and compassion that marked the very essence of this man. His greatness lay
most clearly in his deep love of humanity and in his ability to elevate even the simplest
person to see the love of God. I hope it inspires you to look deeper into the life and
teachings of this great gift we were privileged to share during our lifetime.
And I ask you to ponder one last thing: If this
were a portrait of you, would your head be in the clouds, or in the clarity of truth?
Would you be looking towards the future with hope, or casting your eyes in another
direction? Would you have the strength of reason in your hand, and faith in prayer at your
fingertips, or would you be grasping at your future with empty hands? What would your
portrait look like?
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