Abstract
Sanctuarium Naturalis, a series of collaged and altered prints—primarily lithographs—juxtaposes components of scientific and religious art. Scientists and theologians are essentially searching for the same thing: a sense of greater meaning in the world around us. This body of work combines certain religious artists’ use of natural imagery as decoration for reliquaries or manuscripts with scientific illustration’s detailed meditation on natural specimens. Drawing influence from contemporary artists such as Kiki Smith and Tiffany Bozic who imbue natural subjects with spiritual significance, Sanctuarium Naturalis posits that prayer can be a component of interactions with the natural world. The resulting compositions glorify natural specimens using the rich ornament of the Catholic illustrative tradition, and scientific specimens are presented as symbols of discovery and higher knowledge.
How to Cite
Becker, M., (2013) “Sanctuarium Naturalis: A Nexus of Science and Religion”, Capstone, The UNC Asheville Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship 26(1).
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