Alexander Bogardy, born Hungary 1901-died Washington, DC 1992 Search this
Medium:
oil on paperboard
Dimensions:
20 x 30 in. (50.9 x 76.3 cm.)
Type:
Painting
Folk Art
Date:
ca. 1955-1970
Luce Center Label:
Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread shows Jesus, God, and a white dove next to a map of the world, surrounded by the heads of many angels. Part of an inscription on the back of the painting reads: ". . . Jesus is about to embrace the world but not wholeheartedly as the tears rolling down Jesus['s] cheeks indicate the disturbance throughout the world . . ." The dove symbolizes the Holy Spirit, which God is releasing to "strengthen the weak and seekers of Mercy." Alexander Bogardy was a devout Catholic, and this image expresses his concerns with all the problems in the world. His message is not entirely serious, however, because he painted perfectly coiffed hairstyles on each of the floating angels!
Luce Object Quote:
"All my work is done for God." The artist, quoted in Margaret Parsons and Marsha Orgeron, "Alexander Bogardy, Singular Pursuits," Folk Art, Spring/Summer 2004