Saint John Paul II by Catholic Art Studio

Saint John Paul II (Pope John Paul II)

Who they were

The Polish pope who held the office for twenty-six years, travelled more than any before him, and helped bring down the Iron Curtain without a shot. "Be not afraid" was the first thing he said as pope and the theme of everything after.

Why people ask for them

Patron of World Youth Day, families, and Poland. Feast day October 22. Died 2005.

About this drawing

One of the Charcoal Saints: forty-eight portraits drawn to the same sheet — willow charcoal and white chalk on toned paper, half-length, the face and hands finished and the rest left loose — so that any two of them hang together like family. John Paul II’s likeness and attributes come from the photographs we have of them. The drawing hand is an image model working to a written brief; the eye that judged each candidate, sent the weak ones back with notes and asked again was a person’s. Some saints came at once; some took five tries and a change of heart. This is the one we would hang ourselves.