Saint Benedict of Nursia original order Art block print

An original block print, hand-pulled 4 times from 4 separately carved blocks. Printed on an antique press using Stonehenge fawn paper (Light tan). Image is 8”x8” and paper is 10x10. Comes matted with backing board inside clear acetate.

This is the last piece with this St Benedict image. Two re-carved blocks will feature a slightly different piece and will be available soon on this thread.

OPTIONS:
- unframed $125
- framed in worn wood black $230

ABOUT:
“Prayer ought to be short and pure, unless it be prolonged by the inspiration of Divine grace.”

Benedict of Nursia (480-543 or 547) founded twelve communities for monks at Subiaco, Italy (about 40 miles to the east of Rome), before moving to Monte Cassino in the mountains of southern Italy. Benedict's main achievement is his order "Rule of Saint Benedict", containing precepts for his monks. It is heavily influenced by the writings of John Cassian, and shows strong affinity with the Rule of the Master. But it also has a unique spirit of balance, moderation and reasonableness, and this persuaded most religious communities founded throughout the Middle Ages to adopt it. As a result, his Rule became one of the most influential religious rules in Western Christendom. For this reason, Benedict is often called the founder of western monasticism.

The only ancient account of Benedict is found in the second volume of Pope Gregory's four-book Dialogues, thought to have been written in 593.

Image: There lived in the neighborhood a priest called Florentius who, moved by envy, tried to ruin him. He tried to kill him with poisoned bread. When St. Benedict prayed a blessing over the bread, a raven swept in and took the bread away.

The ladder represents his twelve-step ladder of humility in his “rule.”