Art Imitates Life Too Much
When a $90,000 sculpture depicting Jesus’ Last Supper was planned for the shrine built for Roman Catholic tourists, Bishop Daniel F. Walsh wanted the faces of the disciples to be based on photographs of some of his priests for a natural, rather than idealized, look to Jesus’ followers.
But the artistic rendition of the priests by Martinez & Murphey Inc., was too accurate in one case, said Richard G. Rock, president of the religious art firm that moved its headquarters here from Alhambra in August.
“You could clearly recognize the priest whose face we used for Judas,” said Rock, referring to the betrayer of Jesus in the Gospels.
“We changed his features,” Rock said.
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