This is the frontispiece for a Roman Missal published in Germany in 1911. Below Christ, to the left looking up, is Melchizedek, who prefigured the Eucharist. In the priestly garb below to the right we believe is Aaron, the first earthly high priest.

The artist is Max Schmalzl (1850-1930), a German Redemptorist lay brother who worked as a painter and illustrator. He lived a monastic lifestyle, devoting himself to the making Catholic art. Most of his art is unsigned, out of modesty. He was the fulfillment of an ecclesiastical art movement called the Nazarene school, and he lived the ideal of a humble, pious, and industrious painter-monk. Despite his monasticism, he was very famous during his lifetime.

This is a companion piece to The Last Supper, another frontispiece, from 1923. He left behind many masterpieces; so far, these two are our favorites.



Standard size. Easy to find a ready-made frame at your local Hobby Lobby. We recommend a wooden frame for this one, either stained or one of the colors in the painting that match your walls.

** IMPORTANT ** THE IMAGE IS SMALLER THAN THE PAPER! There is a white border of about 0.5" inch for 5x7", 1.3" for 8.5x11", or 1.6" for 11x14" pictures. All Approx! Fine art printers do this because the images are almost never the same rectangular ratio of the standard paper sizes. It also gives the prints a finished look, and lets them look good in a frame without a matt.

- Acid-free paper
- Archival pigments, rated to last for generations.
- Cardboard backer
- Above story of the art
- Enclosed in a tight-fitting, crystal clear bag.

Thanks for your interest!

Thanks!
Sue & John

"In order to communicate the message entrusted to her by Christ, the Church needs art." ~ St. Pope John Paul II

Original image is out-of-copyright. Descriptive text and image alterations (hence the whole new image) © by Sue Kouma Johnson - CatholicArtAndJewelry.