Catholic Art: Mangaluru, a Case Study (1878-2023)

‘Catholic Art’ is art produced for catholic patrons, which includes iconographic works in visual arts, sculptures, architecture, and decorative and applied arts. Jesus Christ, his disciples, followers, saints, and biblical narratives have been the subject matter of Catholic art. There is an ecumenical relationship between Christian theology and Catholic Art. However, not all Christians are Catholics, but all Catholics are Christians. The Mangaluru case study centers on the prominent Italian Artist Priest, Fra. Antonio Moscheni SJ (1854-1905). He was entrusted to embellish the newly built cathedral with frescos on Biblical themes. The resemblance of these frescos to the works of the Sistine Chapel of Rome and its unique blend with the native southern mural traditions is a unique and fascinating amalgamation of East and Western art techniques. Due to his work’s popularity, Moscheni was commissioned to complete several projects across the churches of western coastal India between 1889 and 1905. He began working in Mangaluru and later Bantwal, the region known as Canara. He did a few projects in Konkan, a northern coastal city of Goa, and Mumbai. In the end, the southern coastal town, Kochi, also referred to as the Malabar, where breathed his last due to illness. The case study focuses on detailed accounts of his disciples who assisted him during his commissions and were later established as individual practitioners catering to the community’s needs. The study locates Catholic art practice in India and its legacies in historical and sociocultural contexts and analyzes and reflects on their milieu.