San Damiano Crucifix Mosaic - Original
Artist: Kevin Pawlowski (Texas US, 1968- )
Title: San Damiano Crucifix
Medium: Glass mosaic on board
Date: 2019
This is a glorious glass mosaic by Kevin Pawlowski. 13 months in the making, over 6,500 ties were hand applied to a 4’w x 5’h structure.
The design is based on the original San Damiano Crucifix hanging in the Basilica of Saint Clare in Assisi, Italy, but with a Latin American twist. Turquoise, blue and red elements were added, which were inspired by Latin American folk art. This is a nod to Pope Francis, combining the roots of St. Francis with the South American background of the Pope.
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It is more commonly called the San Damiano “Cross”, but it is technically a crucifix because of the representation of Jesus hanging on it. The original is a large Romanesque rood cross that St. Francis of Assisi found in a dilapidated church in the thirteenth century. While he was praying, the Lord spoke to him and gave him the commission to rebuild the Church.
It now hangs in the Basilica of Saint Clare in Assisi, Italy, with a replica in its original position in the church of San Damiano nearby. Franciscans cherish this cross as the symbol of their mission from God. The cross is a crucifix of a type sometimes called an icon cross because in addition to the main figure of the Christ, it contains images of other saints and people related to the incident of Christ's crucifixion. The tradition of such painted crucifixes began in the Eastern Church and possibly reached Italy via Montenegro and Croatia. (source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Damiano_cross )
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These products are produced make-for-order, so posters should arrive within 2-weeks of ordering, and canvas prints within 1-week. Unanticipated factors can cause delays, so please specify if you need to hit a specific date (i.e. a birthday).
The San Damiano Crucifix mosaic is an original work by Kevin Pawlowski from Paradise Found Studio LLC. It is 5' tall by 4' wide, with over 6,000 glass tiles. This video takes you through the history of the original crucifix design and the process of assembling the mosaic.