CMP Review 2025-06-08

Fritz von Uhde was a German painter who lived from 1848 to 1911. He lived during the time when impressionists were changing the world of art, and he shared in certain aspects of the movement. What is most striking about his art to me, however, is not so much that he painted out of doors or that he experimented with color, but that he portrayed Christ with us.

For example in his 1885 painting Grace, a “lower class family … in the midst of praying, ‘Come, dear Jesus, be our guest’, are greeted by the appearance of Jesus in their humble parlor.” Similarly, in his The Sermon on the Mount, Christ addresses a crowd of 19th century harvesters. My favorite is his Suffer Little Children to Come Unto Me.”

Charlotte Mason read in the Gospel of Luke how Jesus lamented over Jerusalem. Her poetic art then followed a similar path to the visual art of Fritz von Uhde. Mason imagined what would happen if Jesus visited “our city.” Would He admire all the churches and beautiful things, or grieve for the neglected poor? Read or hear Mason’s challenging and touching poem here.

@artmiddlekauff

🖼️: Suffer the Little Children to Come Unto Me by Fritz von Uhde