Ninth in a series –
More photos at the bottom this story
Summer is a great time to explore the art spread across the Bluffton community – especially for viewers unable to visit art galleries elsewhere in Ohio.
In this weekly series, The Icon features the art created by John Peter Klassen (1888-1975), a long-time Bluffton College art professor, and art by other artists in the community.
For some viewers, this series is familiar. For others, it may be a first-time experience.
Either way, it’s an opportunity to take a walk and view some art that is uniquely Bluffton. Much of Klassen’s art is spread through Bluffton University campus, however several pieces, shown in this series, are elsewhere in the community.
Today’s feature
Klassen Court
Currently the campus is closed to visitors, but viewers can examine the works from this court in the following photos.
Klassen Court, located between Marbeck Center and Founders Hall, contains several bronze plaques completed in the 1930s. The theme of the works come from Klassen’s experiences in Russian during the Russian revolution and civil war.
Women suffering – depicts women who have lost their husbands to the military, while they must remain with their young children and tend the farm land.
Modern crucifixion – in the artist’s words, this work “shows the struggle between the government and the people. The Communists wanted to do away with religion completely, but the people wanted to keep it. So, I showed Christ in the middle, already crucified. The soldier is watching on one side. John the Apostle and Mary are standing and weeping.”
Children – based on Matthew 19:14, “Suffer the little children and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven."
Feeding the hungry – shows food being given to starving children. A famine in the Ukraine followed the revolution and civil war.
Love your enemies – depicts the Good Samaritan in wartime with two men caring for an injured person.
Digging grave – illustrates how friends got into different armies during the revolution and how they were compelled to kill each other at the Front. Even during an execution, one had to dig a grave for himself or for others.
Swords into plowshares – based on Isaiah 2:4, this plaque shows a farmer plowing a field, illustrating the verse,” They shall beat their swords into plowshares. There are three examples of this work in the community. This one in Klassen Court, one in the lobby of Mennonite Memorial Home, and a third on the tombstone of Dallas "Jack" and Frances Berry in Maple Grove Cemetery.
Click here to view the previous feature in this series.
