Portrait of a pope
September 5th, 2005
By Khalid Moss
Dayton Daily News
4 August 2005
DAYTON | Sequestered in a narrow, windowless, industrial space inside the 23-acre Dayton Job Center at 1133 Edwin Moses Blvd. is a trove of art and iconography lovingly harvested by Mary Jane Popp — a woman with a passion for the most sacrosanct artifacts of the Catholic church.
Ten years ago Popp founded the Society for the Preservation of Roman Catholic Heritage (SPORCH), a nonprofit organization working to preserve and promulgate Catholic liturgical art and antiques.
“Our mission is to promote Roman Catholic traditions and heritage through its art and artifacts,” Popp said. “We do this through several programs. We have a museum program, an assistance to the clergy program, an artwork reproduction program and an educational program. One of our main goals is to get these wonderful, wonderful pieces back into the churches and back on the altars.”
Maintaining SPORCH has been an uphill battle for Popp and her daughter, Angelina. Strapped with a shoe-string budget and spiralling operating expenses, SPORCH is kept afloat primarily through Mary Jane Popp’s unsinkable spirit and her tireless efforts to recruit members, donors and benefactors.
(Click for larger image)
However, on Thursday, SPORCH held a reception to unveil what has been called the first commissioned oil painting of the new pope, His Holiness, Benedict XVI. The painting was commissioned by Christendom College, and Tim Langenderfer, acclaimed portrait artist from Dayton, was drafted to do the brush work.
“I don’t actually know if this is the first commissioned painting of Benedict,” Langenderfer said from his studio.
“If you do a search you’ll find that the Vatican has a couple of official photographs, but I’m not aware of any painted portraits. Frankly, I’m not aware of any paintings of him as Cardinal Ratzinger either, but I’m sure there must be some.”
Christendom College is a Roman Catholic liberal arts institution in Front Royal, Va., located in the Shenandoah Valley.
Christendom president, Timothy O’Donnell, met Popp at a convention several years ago and was impressed by SPORCH’s outreach and vision. Popp’s name came up when Christendom decided to install an image of the new pontiff.
Popp found a suitable photograph to work from, but, at the time, didn’t have a specific artist in mind.
“Weeks later, I had a booth at the Celtic Festival here in town and Tim happened to walk by,” Popp said. “He asked me if I knew of anyone who might need a painting. I immediately thought, ‘Oh, no. Here’s another one of those hacks who says they can draw.’ But when I saw the quality of Tim’s work, I wasn’t about to let this artist get away.”
Langenderfer, an adjunct professor of art at UD, has painted for the Senior Golf Tour, Dayton Philharmonic, Procter & Gamble and many others.
“He is just absolutely terrific.” Popp said. “I could see him being the new Bosseron Chambers of the Catholic world. Bosseron Chambers was the premier Catholic artist of the first half of 20th century. Tim is on the same level.”
Langenderfer, who charges up to $5,000 per portrait, said it took him more than 70 hours to complete the work.
“There was a lot involved because, of course, the pope couldn’t be here in person to pose like most of my portrait commissions,” Langenderfer said. “I had to do a lot of research. I had to construct the painting in a manner that wouldn’t violate anybody’s rights. I got a video of Benedict and I played it, and it was as if he was sitting here. I’m a big fan of the Holy Father, so the entire process was very exciting.”
The reception for Langenderfer and his painting at SPORCH will be followed by a similar event at Christendom College.
“President O’Donnell requested that I come,” Langenderfer said. “I told him I’m a big fan of Christendom College and assured him I would be there for the installation.”
Contact Khalid Moss at 225-2167.
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