Interference and Noise

I recently came across this painting from Sienna, which now lives in Hull, having been saved for the nation from an overseas sale, and then spent 4 years at the National Gallery undergoing restoration.

It depicts Peter with his keys to the kingdom of heaven and Paul with his sword of martyrdom, while Christ holds up his hand in the traditional gesture of blessing. What I find particularly beautiful is the way they turn in attentively towards Jesus, communing deeply with him.

I was struck by an account of the conservation process. A restorer commented on the heavy layers of varnish which were obscuring the detail, dulling the vibrant colours and disfiguring the faces. In addition, retouching over the centuries had, he said, created ‘interference and noise’. All this required skilful removal.

To me, this process as well as the picture itself. seems to tell a story of our faith – that over the centuries we have often lost sight of Christ; we have obscured and disfigured him as we tried to make him in our image and shape him according to our agendas. Interference and noise have come between us and our God, who became human so that we might encounter him in the flesh, know him as a person, and enter deeply into relationship with him.

As with restoring an old master, it is a task of great sensitivity to try to see again, who Christ was, when first he came, and who Christ is now for us; and we should be wary of thinking we can glibly discern what to wipe away in terms of varnishings and retouchings, and what to keep, to treasure and restore.

In this painting, Peter and Paul model for us the pose we should adopt – that attentive gazing at Jesus, our eyes fixed on him, leaning in to listen. I love Paul’s tilt of the head, as if, balding saint that he is, old age has made him even more keen to catch every word that comes from Christ’s mouth.

In this artwork Christ is now revealed anew, in all his grace and beauty, rediscovered beneath the accretions and debris of the centuries. May we, in our own lives similarly, seek to see his face, and hear his voice, with fresh vibrancy and immediacy; and come to understand for ourselves what Peter realised, that here, amongst us still, stands the Son of the Living God.

Revd Kate McFarlane