- Title of Piece: Our Mother Mary Found - Annunciation - After Lorenzo Lotto 1480-1556
- Date of Creation: 2003
- Location: Traveling exhibit
- Brief Description: © Beth Grossman 2003
18" h x 10" dia
Gold leaf on wooden butter churn
As told in the New Testament, when the Angel Gabriel came to Mary, she was both surprised and humbled that she would be chosen for this important calling. As her life was about to change dramatically, I imagine she would have said the Jewish prayer I will raise my eyes to the mountains. The shape of this hand hewn butter churn, which is used to transform milk into butter, suggests a womb in form and function.
- Artist Info: Beth Grossman is a San Francisco based artist who integrates stories and history into her artwork of painted images and text on everyday objects.
- Photographer Info: Jay Jones, San Francisco, CA
- Title of Piece: Our Mother Mary Found - Madonna and Child - After Bernardo Zenale 1460-1526
- Date of Creation: 2003
- Location: Traveling exhibit
- Brief Description: © Beth Grossman 2003
7" h x 17" dia
Gold leaf on wooden bowl
A bowl symbolizes abundance, bounty and a gift from G-d. This prayer, “May G-d forge this meditation into reality,” reminded me of how being pregnant is like a long meditation full of hopes, dreams and fears. Mary’s hands in the paintings of the Madonna and Child always offer comfort and support, even though she seems to sense what is to come.
- Artist Info: Beth Grossman is a San Francisco based artist who integrates stories and history into her artwork of painted images and text on everyday objects.
- Photographer Info: Jay Jones, San Francisco, CA
- Title of Piece: Our Mother Mary Found - Marriage of the Virgin - After Raffaello Sanzio 1483-1520
- Date of Creation: 2003
- Location: Traveling exhibit
- Brief Description: © Beth Grossman 2003
20" h x 30" w x 2" d
Gold leaf on wooden C-clamps
Joseph and Jesus were carpenters and C-clamps are used to join two things together. As Mary and Joseph are betrothed with in the famous painting, the Marriage of the Virgin, by Raphael, a focal point of exchanging rings pronounces sincerity, devotion, trust and loyalty. The prayer “O Prosper the work of our hands” expresses the hope that their union will bring forth a child who will do good deeds.
- Artist Info: Beth Grossman is a San Francisco based artist who integrates stories and history into her artwork of painted images and text on everyday objects.
- Photographer Info: Jay Jones, San Francisco, CA
- Title of Piece: Our Mother Mary Found - Adoration of the Shepherds - After Daniele Crespi 1590-1630
- Date of Creation: 2003
- Location: Traveling exhibit
- Brief Description: © Beth Grossman 2003
12" h x 28" w x 6" d
Gold leaf on wooden trough
Caesar Augustus ordered a census and all people were instructed to return to the town of their birth to register. The inns in Bethlehem were all occupied as Mary was about to give birth to her first born son and the inn keeper could only offer her the manger. She laid the baby Jesus in an animal feeding trough and the shepherds came to adore him with gratitude, hope and devotion. She might have said, “Let him be a shining light to all Israel, illuminating Your Torah.
- Artist Info: Beth Grossman is a San Francisco based artist who integrates stories and history into her artwork of painted images and text on everyday objects.
- Photographer Info: Jay Jones, San Francisco, CA
- Title of Piece: Our Mother Mary Found - Flight to Egypt - After Vicenzo Foppa 1472-1515
- Date of Creation: 2003
- Location: Traveling exhibit
- Brief Description: © Beth Grossman 2003
19" h x 15" w x 3" d
Gold leaf on wooden yoke
The New Testament recounts Mary and Joseph received word from an angel that King Herod had ordered the killing of all male infants because he feared a future challenge to his throne. Mary and Joseph took their baby by donkey to Egypt where Jesus survived the Slaughter of the Innocents. In my sculpture, Mary’s hands grip the yoke with both fear and protection similar to the way she holds Jesus in the altar piece, Flight to Egypt by Vicenzo Foppa. Even while they were on the perilous road, they would have said this Jewish prayer “All the Lord’s paths are steadfast love.
- Photographer Info: Jay Jones, San Francisco, CA
- Title of Piece: Our Mother Mary Found - Crucifixion - After Boccaccio Boccaccino 1466-1525
- Date of Creation: 2003
- Location: Traveling exhibit
- Brief Description: Beth Grossman is a San Francisco based artist who integrates stories and history into her artwork of painted images and text on everyday objects.
- Photographer Info: Jay Jones, San Francisco, CA
- Title of Piece: Our Mother Mary Found - Pietá- After Bernardo Zenale 1460-1526
- Date of Creation: 2003
- Location: Traveling exhibit
- Brief Description: © Beth Grossman 2003
18" h x 10.5" w x 2.5" d
Gold leaf on wooden cutting board
The Pieta takes place just after Jesus is cut down from the cross. These hands placed on a cutting board convey Mary’s grief, loss and love as she cradles her son’s head and chest. This traditional style cutting board from Italy’s Piedmont region, remind me of doves flying to the heavens. The winged shape also echoes one of the devotees hands in the painting. An image of Jesus’ face and beard is seemingly apparent in the cutting marks of use and reminds me of the Shroud of Turin. The prayer “May he come whole before the holy one,” refers to the Jewish death ritual.
- Artist Info: Beth Grossman is a San Francisco based artist who integrates stories and history into her artwork of painted images and text on everyday objects.
- Photographer Info: Jay Jones, San Francisco, CA
- Title of Piece: Our Mother Mary Found - Death of the Virgin - After Filippo Lippi 1406-1469
- Date of Creation: 2003
- Location: Traveling exhibit
- Brief Description: © Beth Grossman 2003
4" d x 18" dia
Gold thread on wire and wooden sieve
The sieve is significant because of the way grains flow through a thin mesh from one side to the other – as Mary flowed from life to death. An outline of Mary’s serene hands reminds us of her absence. She would have prayed that her soul rest in the bond of life.
- Artist Info: Beth Grossman is a San Francisco based artist who integrates stories and history into her artwork of painted images and text on everyday objects.
- Photographer Info: Jay Jones, San Francisco, CA
- Title of Piece: Our Mother Mary Found - Assumption - After Alvise Vivarini 1450-1505
- Date of Creation: 2003
- Location: Traveling exhibit
- Brief Description: © Beth Grossman 2003
30" h x 11" w x 1.5" d
Gold leaf on wooden washboard
Mary was considered to have been so pure that her entire body rose to heaven as depicted in the painting by Alvise Vivarini. I chose this washboard because of its function for cleanliness and purity and its form evokes steps to heaven. Her hands in prayer reveal her hope and devotion as her devotees might have said this Jewish prayer, “Shine, for your light has dawned.”
- Artist Info: Beth Grossman is a San Francisco based artist who integrates stories and history into her artwork of painted images and text on everyday objects.
- Photographer Info: Jay Jones, San Francisco, CA
- Title of Piece: Our Mother Mary Found - Coronation - After Gentile da Fabriano 1385-1427
- Date of Creation: 2003
- Location: Traveling exhibit
- Brief Description: © Beth Grossman 2003
28.5" h X 22.5" w X 3.5" d
Gold leaf on wooden tray
As the story is told, when Mary rose to heaven, she was greeted by her son Jesus who crowned her. Mary always characterized piety and humility. An offering tray suggests that even during this supreme honor she would have presented herself in the role of modest mother…”What is my life that you should shed all these miraculous wonders upon me?”
- Artist Info: Beth Grossman is a San Francisco based artist who integrates stories and history into her artwork of painted images and text on everyday objects.
- Photographer Info: Jay Jones, San Francisco, CA
- Title of Piece: The Copper Chronicles
- Date of Creation: 2007
- Location: de Young Museum, San Francisco
- Brief Description: This installation oh hammered copper is 50 feet wide. It is an artistic reflection on the original de Young collections which became the de Young Museum in San Francisco. This work is the result of working with visitors to the museum around questions of art and history while Beth Grossman was the artist-in-residence at the de Young Museum.
- Artist Info: Beth Grossman is a San Francisco based artist who integrates stories and history into her artwork of painted images and text on everyday objects. She has shown nationally and internationally at venues including: the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Ellis Island Immigration Museum in New York City, the National Jewish Museum in Wash. D.C., the San Francisco Jewish Museum, the Minnesota History Center, the Jewish Museum of Florida, the Nat’l Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia and Galleria Scoglio di Quarto in Milan, Italy.
- Photographer Info: Jay Jones
- Title of Piece: Sabbath - Consecration...Continuing
- Date of Creation: 1991-1995
- Location: Traveling exhibit
- Brief Description: This is one of seven panels in a suite of panels entitled "Passages.
Acrylic on wood
77" x 28"
- Artist Info: Beth Grossman is a San Francisco based artist who integrates stories and history into her artwork of painted images and text on everyday objects. She has shown nationally and internationally at venues including: the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Ellis Island Immigration Museum in New York City, the National Jewish Museum in Wash. D.C., the San Francisco Jewish Museum, the Minnesota History Center, the Jewish Museum of Florida, the Nat’l Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia and Galleria Scoglio di Quarto in Milan, Italy.
- Photographer Info: Jay Jones
- Title of Piece: Wedding - Covenant and Remembering
- Date of Creation: 1991-1995
- Location: Traveling Exhibit
- Brief Description: This is one of seven panels in a suite of panels entitled "Passages."
Acrylic on wood
77" x 28
- Artist Info: Beth Grossman is a San Francisco based artist who integrates stories and history into her artwork of painted images and text on everyday objects. She has shown nationally and internationally at venues including: the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Ellis Island Immigration Museum in New York City, the National Jewish Museum in Wash. D.C., the San Francisco Jewish Museum, the Minnesota History Center, the Jewish Museum of Florida, the Nat’l Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia and Galleria Scoglio di Quarto in Milan, Italy,
- Photographer Info: Jay Jones