Blessed Are the Poor
Illustration © D. Yael Bernhard
Blessed are the poor, for their reward shall be great in Heaven.
These are the words that were assigned to me to illustrate, some ten years ago as part of an annual job for a Christian publisher. This famous verse from the Book of Matthew has been translated in various ways. It’s one of several phrases that all express the same basic idea:
Blessed are the poor: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
The concept here is paradox – a dichotomy of opposite conditions in which external loss contains the seeds of internal gain; material poverty yields to spiritual richness; humility opens the gate to success; and short-term deprivation leads to eternal fulfillment.
I thought about the historical context in which the Christian Bible was written. The Roman conquest of Israel was brutal. People were tortured and executed with unspeakable cruelty, among them the historical Jesus and the famous scholar and sage Akiva Ben Joseph, as well as other visionaries, rebels, and leaders. Corruption and oppression spread across the land; even the local leader, King Herod, turned against his own people as he succumbed to syphilis-driven insanity. It was a dark time that lasted from 63 BCE to 135 CE, ending with the bloody and unsuccessful Bar Kokhba revolt.
No wonder this terrible time gave birth to a mythology of transcendence. The people were hungry for a story that would enable them to rise above the horrors of life on earth to the rewards of a forgiving heaven. Many centuries later, the slaves of colonial America sought comfort in the same ideology, expressed in folktales in which the suffering people escaped by flying over the plantations (a subject I’ve also illustrated; perhaps I’ll write about that next week).
It was easy to come up with an image to depict this idea. I was restricted to a particular size, and had to leave space in the lower corner for the words to be printed. But basically, the “huddled masses” of Emma Lazrus’s famous poem on the Statue of Liberty are shown in the lower left, and rise above their own poverty in the upper realm of heaven. The symbols of inner wealth are embodied in the five figures: from left to right, they’re engaged in singing praises; scriptural study; prayer; sharing the fruits of the land; and playing music. What more could one ask for, I asked myself as I strove to translate spiritual richness into images that would please my editors and their readers.
What I enjoyed about this illustration – and what I wish I had had more time to explore in a larger, more developed piece – was the contrast of a monochromatic palette against a multicolored one. The background and lower figures are all painted in restricted hues, while the figures representing fruitfulness and fulfillment are varied. This is a technique that was used often by Marc Chagall, who I have long admired. He moved effortlessly from one palette to another within the same painting in a way does not come naturally to me. I’m trying to develop this technique even now in a painting I’m working on for my own edification.
As an artist, I can relate to this image. History is full of struggling and starving artists whose work gained value after their death to a degree they could never have envisioned in their lifetime. Van Gogh is the most dramatic example. I cannot help but wonder: was the superlative posthumous success of this forlorn and impoverished artist a reward that was great in Heaven?
God only knows.
I don’t know if my creative work will be rewarded after I die, but I can tell you this: it’s not easy being an artist in a society that does not value art. If you appreciate my art and writing, please consider upgrading to a paid subscription. Any amount is appreciated.
A good week to all!
D. Yael Bernhard
https://dyaelbernhard.com
Have you seen my other Substack, The Art of Health? In addition to being a visual artist, I’m also a certified integrative health & nutrition coach with a lifelong passion for natural food cooking and herbal medicine. Now in its second year, this illustrated newsletter explores cutting-edge concepts of nutrition. I strive to make relevant information clear and accessible, and to anchor essential health concepts in unique images. Check it out, and if you like it, please subscribe and help spread the word. Your support keeps my work going!