Covenant News

Wallet-size Copies of Sallman Painting Now Available

SOUTH BEND, IN (April 7, 2003) - As war between the United States and Iraq rages on, Nancy Dahlstrom wants to encourage military and other personnel in the midst of uncertain times. What better means of encouragement, she reasons, than to give them Jesus - at least a well-known reminder for personnel to carry with them each day.

Dahlstrom, whose husband Kendall is pastor at the Evangelical Covenant Church in South Bend, hopes to offer wallet-sized card reproductions of Warner Sallman's famous oil painting, "Head of Christ," to those wishing to send them to loved ones serving throughout the world. An original painting of the "Head of Christ" hangs in the Broadway Covenant Church in Rockford, Illinois.

The glossy cards feature Sallman's familiar work on the front and the Bible verse John 14:6 on the back. So far, the church has already received more than 50 requests for the cards. The church originally purchased 200 cards and expects to buy more as demand increases. Residents in the area closer to the church were made aware of the church's project through a news feature in the South Bend Tribune - a copy of that article may be found online by visiting www.SouthBendTribune.com.

Perhaps no image of the likeness of Jesus is as well known as Sallman's "Head of Christ." The painting was based on Sallman's original charcoal drawing, "Son of Man," which appeared as the cover art for the February 1924 edition of The Covenant Companion. He crafted an oil painting from his drawing in 1940 and that work was mass-produced a year later to give to soldiers fighting in World War II. Since then, about 500 million copies have been sold, according to an Internet web site documenting Sallman's life.

"I was reading a book by Jack Lundbom (Master Painter: Warner Sallman) about Warner Sallman and his work and I became very interested in that," Dahlstrom said. "When I read that the "Head of Christ" picture was sent to soldiers, it captured my interest. I thought it (sending the Sallman photo cards) would be a neat thing for the church to do for our (upcoming) 115th anniversary. And I'm getting requests from people on the street and my Bible study about it."

Sallman's work has long been appreciated by the Evangelical Covenant Church and particularly by the South Bend congregation. The Covenant artist and illustrator painted his first mural, "The Ascension," in 1926 for the church, which was then known as the Swedish Evangelical Mission Covenant Church. And when the church decided to change locations, it focused its architectural plans around Sallman's mural, which is located in the church narthex and visible from the street where the church is located. Sallman even visited the church and touched up the mural in 1959, one of several restorations of the piece.

"It is a landmark in the community," said Dahlstrom of t he Sallman piece in the church. "People know about it and one couple now at our church originally came to visit three years ago because of their attraction to the mural."

Dahlstrom hopes that those who ask for the cards will let the church know where and to whom the cards are going. That information will be posted in a prayer bulletin as part of the church's 115th anniversary celebration May 31 and June 1.

To obtain a wallet-size print of Sallman's "Head of Christ," send a self-addressed stamped envelope to Evangelical Covenant Church of South Bend, 3025 E. Edison Road, South Bend, IN, 46615. For more information about the project, call the church at 574-234-5619.

A collection of Sallman's works is currently being shown at the Jessie C. Wilson Galleries at Anderson University in Anderson, Indiana. For more information, call 765-641-4320. And a more extensive story about the church's efforts is planned for the May edition of The Covenant Companion.

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