Essay. Heiligheid in verf: Leviticus verbeeld

This article explores the artistic and theological process of visually interpreting the biblical book of Leviticus. Initially perceived as a text of obsolete rituals and laws, Leviticus is re-examined as a narrative of divine proximity, holiness, and restoration. The author reflects on how holiness manifests not only in ritual but also in everyday life, nature, and art. Inspired by Makoto Fujimura’s theology of beauty and the Japanese art of Kintsugi—repairing broken pottery with gold—the painting becomes a meditation on brokenness transformed into beauty. Central visual elements include a ladder symbolizing the connection between heaven and earth, tabernacle-inspired colors, and two figures representing personal devotion and institutional ritual. The work embodies the tension between human fragility and divine presence, suggesting that holiness appears in the cracks of life. Ultimately, the painting is framed as a visual theology: a ladder through which heaven and earth momentarily touch, revealing the sacred in the ordinary.