Review of "The Guardian of Mercy" by Terence Ward
This is an extraordinary
book. Not something I say very often, but this is a book that stimulates the
mind, heart, and soul.
Ward crafts
a compelling narrative that shifts from 17th century Naples to the
late 20th century version, linking them through the creation of Caravaggio’s
The Seven Acts of Mercy and its impact
on viewers today. He tells the story of how Caravaggio ended up in Naples and
of the commissioning of this magnificent painting, interwoven with a fictionalised
account of the life and creative process of the artist that rings true. The Guardian of Mercy is also the
account of the transformative impact of this painting on an ordinary, simple
man, and of its effect on a family and on the author and his wife.
This is
personal, intimate, and compelling stuff, written with a contagious passion for
Caravaggio, the painting, and Angelo, the guardian of the title, that draws you
unrelentingly back to the seven acts depicted in the artwork. Ward breaks the
painting into its seven stories, keeping the context of the whole, and does so
powerfully, linking the images back to what Caravaggio might have seen and how
he may have transformed those images into the painting. It never feels
pedantic, delivered with a respect for the painting that reflects the love and
enthusiasm with which Angelo first described it to Ward and his wife, Idanna.
Despite
being grounded in very personal, individual stories, the book speaks clearly
and loudly to the universal themes Caravaggio addresses in the painting, themes
which are particularly relevant today: welcoming the stranger, feeding the
hungry, caring for the poor, loving each other. In a world where acts of mercy
seem rare, The Guardian of Mercy,
like the musical Come From Away, is a
welcome and refreshing reminder that there is tremendous power in well-crafted,
thoughtful art and that the world can actually be redeemed.
Verdict: Read this today!
The Guardian of Mercy is published by Arcade Publishing.
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