Chicago museum's painting may be world's oldest Christian Chinese art

Published: 2008-01-17

CHICAGO (CNS) -- The painting of the mother and child is rolled out flat on the table, under unblinking fluorescent lights and the scrutiny of scientists and guests in a lab at the Field Museum. The lady's Western features are attractive, but a bit flat and washed-out. The boy-child is clearly Chinese, with Asian features, a topknot, a red Chinese robe and a Chinese-style book. Despite their different backgrounds, the painting, to Christian eyes, is quite clearly a Madonna and Child, with the Christ Child painted to look like his Chinese audience. Indeed, the painting is the oldest example of Chinese Christian devotional art in North America, and, quite possibly, in the world, said Bennet Bronson, a curator at the museum. "We don't know of any older surviving examples of Christian art in China," said Bronson, "and if they were displayed publicly, they most likely were destroyed. But we can't be sure; China is a big place."

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