The Stations of the Cross

2003

Flowers East,
London

In the 14 Stations of the Cross, Peter Howson has revisited one of the greatest themes of Western art in this extraordinarily moving and brilliant series of paintings. The resonant theme of this exhibition coincided with the artist’s own preoccupations; at the time Peter was recovering from a terrible period in his life, and his own journey from the depths of despair brought him to the harbor of Christian faith.

It is in that faith that the agonizing journey of Christ to Calvary and the Cross, leading to the Resurrection, has been so carefully and momentously actualized by Peter. Each of the fourteen Stations of the Passion has elicited a specific, intense reaction in the artist. These are not the large, often monumental works with which Peter is most associated – but the power of these small images remains mighty. With an almost cinematic close focus, they draw their inspiration primarily from the artists of the Northern Renaissance. The resulting works display immaculate technique which has generated a wonderful spirituality – as in the astonishing quality of light in the oils.