72. How Come No Jesuit Was Ever Famous for Painting?

But there was and he still is!

Andrea Pozzo, S.J. was a Jesuit Coadjutor Brother who wrote of perspective geometry which was "meant to aid artists and architects". His book Prospettiva de' pittori et architect (Rome, 1693-1700) was one of the earliest on perceptivities and was meant to aid artists and architects. It has gone into many editions, even into this century, and has been translated from the original Latin and Italian into numerous languages such as French, German, English and Chinese, but he is best known for his masterful applications of his perspective art, the cupola, the apse and the ceiling of St. Ignatius Church in Rome

One of the most remarkable sights in Rome is this perspective painting on the ceiling of St. Ignatius Church. On the flat, massive ceiling of the church he painted a fresco, in perspective, of the missionary spirit of Jesuit Society, thereby expressing Jesuit identification with the baroque spirit of Rome. The beautiful ceiling celebrates two centuries of adventuresome Jesuit explorers and missionaries. His theme is the missionary spirit of the Society. Light comes from God the Father to the Son who transmits it to St. Ignatius as it breaks into four rays leading to the four continents.

this article is from http://www.faculty.fairfield.edu/jmac/sj/scientists/pozzo.htm
For a brief bio of Brother Pozzo visit this site http://keptar.demasz.hu/arthp/bio/p/pozzo/biograph.htm

Some of Brother Pozzo's Famous Paintings
(Click to enlarge image)