Anthony Joseph Salvatore
(Youngstown, Ohio, 1938 - 1994, Youngstown, Ohio)
Psalms 25, Verse 4 and 5
1991
Pencil, acrylic, oil pastel and wax crayon on canvas
64 1/2 x 59 in. (163.8 x 149.9 cm)
Collection of the Akron Art Museum
Gift of David P. Colts for Anthony J. Salvatore in memory of the artist's father, Tony Salvatore
1992.7
More Information
Anthony Joseph Salvatore studied at Youngstown State University, but was essentially self-taught. Following a mystical encounter, Salvatore set out to illustrate each verse in the Bible. According to the artist, the scenes he drew were divine visions for which he was merely the instrument. 'Psalms 25, Verse 4 and 5' shows people waiting to receive the word of the Lord. In accord with Old Testament proscriptions, the Lord’s face is not shown, but is replaced by a light-colored halo with bright flames. Humans huddle in the warmth of a pillar, sheltered from the unwelcoming landscape. That God answers their plea is symbolized by clouds of breath emerging from his mouth and the top of his head. The tiny, dark red, flame-like shapes coming from the humans are a device Salvatore used to indicate speaking in tongues.
Keywords
AllegoryOhio
Folk Art
American
Acrylic
Christianity
Pastel