Jean-Luc Nancy's 'Visitation' Deconstructs Christian Painting

In 'Visitation (de la peinture chrétienne)', philosopher Jean-Luc Nancy examines Christian painting through a contemporary lens, part of his broader 'deconstruction of Christianity'. The book centers on Pontormo's 'Visitation', depicting Mary and Elizabeth, to explore how painting presents the invisible. Nancy argues that the term 'art' is in suspension, opening new demands for thought. He uses the Latin 'visitatio' to imply an experience, not just a visit. The book includes an iconographic section with works by Pontormo, Bill Viola (whose video was shown at the 1995 Venice Biennale), Piero della Francesca, Simon Hantai, and Agnès Thurnauer. Nancy contends that Christian painting challenges representation by making the invisible 'jump out at the eyes'. He rejects the idea of art as monument or mere illustration for the illiterate, instead affirming painting's autonomy and 'real presence'. The visitation becomes the subject of painting in general: a reciprocal encounter between viewer and artwork. Nancy draws on Lévinas's notion that 'the epiphany of the face is visitation' and traces the Byzantine roots of contemporary imagery, referencing Marie-José Mondzain's 'Image, Icon, Economy'. The book was published by Éditions Galilée in 2001.