I had learned that the late Monsignor Rae’s favourite painting was, ‘Christ the saviour of the world’ by the artist El Greco, who worked in Spain from 1577. This painting is housed in the National Gallery of Scotland, just off Princes St. and is well worth a visit. Mgr. Rae had a print of this work on the wall above his bed, when he died. Some time later when Mike Knox was dealing with Mgr. Rae’s effects, he came across several paintings as Mgr. Rae was a keen artist. One of these images was an unfinished version of his beloved El Greco favourite. Mike approached me, asking what might be done as it was a shame to throw this piece out. The usual answer is,’ Leave it with me’, so I took the canvas and studied it, wondering what I could do. I had an idea it should be finished, but told Mike that it might not be possible as the canvas was loose and I couldn’t know what it had been painted with. My paints may not have been compatible. Well, nothing ventured nothing gained. I decided to complete it with acrylic paint, having tightened the canvas by simply wetting the back and allowing to dry. A well known trick. I feel I got on pretty well and was well pleased as the paint, took.

It’s always interesting doing a version of another artist’s work. Your eyes are really opened. El Greco to me painted Christ in an otherworldly kind of state. He often made human figures more elongated, which gave them more presence as they became taller and more ‘stately’.The flesh tones are ghostly as a good deal of white has been used in the paint. For me, the artist is trying to show Christ in transition, between human and heavenly. Even the halo effect round his head is a misty whisp of atmosphere, and not a fixed, flat gold ring. Christ’s eyes stare out at us too and are ‘unreadable’, yet he rests his left hand on the planet earth, while gesturing peace with the other. He seems to be staring directly at each one of us, and from no identifiable place. All very powerful and original and definitely worth a look. I decided to sign the painting with Mgr. Rae’s name and mine. ‘Christ the saviour of the world’ is now in the church hall….

Mike Kinane