Bidenharn Museum showcases the images of Christ across cultures

Published 8:00 am Thursday, November 1, 2018

An exhibition of more than 80 depictions of Jesus Christ in art across many cultures is drawing patrons to the Biedenharn Museum and Gardens in Monroe, Louisiana. 

Images of Christ” displays paintings, drawings and sculptures on loan from museums and private collectors. 

Among the images of the man revered in many faiths as the son of God sent for redemption of man’s sin, is a Rembrandt drawing, four paintings by Louisiana artist Don Cincone, art by African-American folk artist Clementine Hunter and work by Warner Sallman, the artist who created the “Head of Christ,” one of the most recognizable pieces of 20th century art.

The Rembrandt drawing, which is about the size of a note card depicts Mary, the mother of Jesus, holding her infant child. 

Ongoing video presentations show how Jesus is depicted in nearby churches and how Jesus is shown on the pages of some of the beautifully illustrated Bibles in the museum’s collection.

The exhibition is on view through Jan. 5. 

The Biedenharn museum complex is a legacy of the family of Joseph A. Biedenharn, who made a fortune as one of the first bottlers of Coca-Cola. The home he built in Monroe in 1914 is preserved as a museum and pays homage to his daughter Emy-Lou, an opera singer, and her love of music and nature.

The home’s formal English garden — called ELSong, short for Emy-Lou’s song — has large sculptures and fountains amid thousands of flowering plants, The garden’s conservatory is patterned after English glasshouses and is used to grow tropical plants. 

Emy-Lou Biedenharn’s collection of Bibles became the foundation of the Biedenharn Bible Museum on the property. On view are rare and historically important Bibles, including an original 1611 King James Bible, art Bibles, and a page from the 1454-55 Gutenberg Bible. The collection celebrates the contribution of the Bible and biblical literature to the enrichment of Western Civilization.

The Coke Museum showcases Coca-Cola memorabilia including vintage signs and a Model T truck used to deilver Coke products. At the museum’s soda fountain, “soda jerks” tell the story of the Biedenharn family.

The home and museums are open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.