The art world was recently captivated by the $6.2 million dollar sale of a work of art that consisted of a banana duct-taped to a white (or was it cream?) wall. The buyer soon thereafter made the highly-publicized gesture of eating the banana. Creative genius, or nihilistic vacuity? Is there a difference? One gets the sense, in reading E. Charlton Fortune on such topics, that she would say there is. And that the world of art in the 1940’s was not dissimilar to that we find today – it had gone bananas. The production of art was, for Fortune, a vocation, and ecclesiastical art the highest of vocations. “There is no higher destiny for a work of art than its installation in a church, where the very best is not good enough.” So she proclaims in an article entitled “The Catholic Painter Speaks” published in the “Portsmouth Association Bulletin” of December, 1942. The monastery welcomed Miss Fortune’s “Monterey Guild” to the School that year, announcing Fortune’s arrival in the preface to her article given below. She would later teach art at the Priory School (1947-48) and produced several important artworks still visible on the grounds, notably the tabernacle in our church and two renditions of Calvary, one in the cemetery and the other in the monastery garden. We present extended excerpts from her article, in which she offers a scathing critique of much of the contemporary art of her day, and of the entire understanding of the function and purpose of art that then was supporting it. She also presents some of her vision for what art should do, particularly ecclesiastical art. – Blake Billings
(Announcement of E. Charlton Fortune’s arrival)
The Monterey Guild, of Monterey, California, has long been known for its excellent work in the field of ecclesiastical art – the decoration of churches, the designing and making of candlesticks, crucifixes and other liturgical objects. We are glad to announce that the Director of the Guild, Miss E. Charlton Fortune, has come to live at Portsmouth in a studio cottage on the grounds. This will be the headquarters of the Guild, which will continue its work, in collaboration with the Community. The Guild will not only foster the best in art for the service of the church, but will also execute commissions.
E. Charlton Fortune