Energetic black ink and bold color define loose geometric forms in Joan Miró’s modern artwork. “Most High, All Powerful, All Good Lord!” is from an expressive set of images developed in book form. This book illustrates a Catalán translation of St. Francis of Assisi’s 13th-century hymn, “The Canticle of the Sun.” Ecstatic in its praise of the elements of creation, the hymn celebrates God as creator of the universe, emphasizing humanity’s relationship with nature and divine creation. Nature’s elements—moon, sun, wind, water, fire and earth—are referred to as our brothers and sisters. Flowing forms play against a spare background, active with emerging primary colors. These elemental beginnings are shown through symbolic colors: red for strength, yellow for activity and positivity, green for the generation of life, and blue for spirituality.
Joanna Reiling Lindell is vice president of Audience & Experiential Engagement at Thrivent and chief curator of the Thrivent Art Collection.
