Title of the painting: Elevation of the Host (Die Wandlung)

Name of the artist: Philipp Schumacher

Date: 1920

Collection: Illustration from the book Katholisches Religionsbüchlein

Description: An illustration from the Katholisches Religionsbüchlein (Catholic Religious Booklet) for elementary schools by Wilhelm Pichler, published in Vienna. The artwork depicts the central moment of the Catholic Mass, the Consecration.

Visual description: A realistic oil painting set inside a stone church, capturing the moment of the Elevation of the Host. In the center, a priest stands with his back to the viewer (ad orientem) before an altar adorned with six lit candles, flowers, and a crucifix. He wears a golden chasuble with red trim and is raising the consecrated Host high above his head. To his left, a young altar server in a white surplice kneels, ringing the sanctus bells with his right hand while lifting the priest’s vestment with his left. On the far left side, a group of laypeople—including men, women, and a young girl—are kneeling in wooden pews with hands clasped in prayer, gazing devoutly at the Eucharist or bowing their heads. The lighting is warm, highlighting the gold of the vestments and the white of the Host against the muted stone background.

License: Public Domain / See here

Source: Wikimedia