The Four Holy Gospels
Modern Art Bible
2011
Gospel books, containing the complete text of the four gospels, were the most common scripture volumes produced during the Middle Ages. They differ from an Evangeliary, which contained only those portions of the Gospels used in the Mass and other services. Manuscripts of the entire Bible were rare during this period. Many Gospels books were prepared as “display books” for ceremonial and ornamental purposes, with elaborate art-work and illumination.
This unique contemporary “gospel book” may be the first time in nearly 400 years that an illuminated book of the four Gospels has been undertaken by a single artist. Makoto Fujimura, known for his use of traditional Japanese Nihonga art techniques (dating back to the 8th century) has prepared The Four Holy Gospels as a means to integrate his Christian faith with fine art. Utilizing the English Standard Version (ESV-2001) for the scripture text, Fujimura has taken five major new works and used them to feature his abstract contemporary art instead of using traditional types of biblical illustration, then printed them with a six-color metallic process. It is an unprecedented marriage of a modernized art form with an ancient scripture form.
Crossway Publishing has commissioned and published this modern Gospel book, first made available in January, 2011.
This unique contemporary “gospel book” may be the first time in nearly 400 years that an illuminated book of the four Gospels has been undertaken by a single artist. Makoto Fujimura, known for his use of traditional Japanese Nihonga art techniques (dating back to the 8th century) has prepared The Four Holy Gospels as a means to integrate his Christian faith with fine art. Utilizing the English Standard Version (ESV-2001) for the scripture text, Fujimura has taken five major new works and used them to feature his abstract contemporary art instead of using traditional types of biblical illustration, then printed them with a six-color metallic process. It is an unprecedented marriage of a modernized art form with an ancient scripture form.
Crossway Publishing has commissioned and published this modern Gospel book, first made available in January, 2011.
