Procession Map

John August Swanson often called PROCESSION a visual lexicon of his work--an artwork that incorporated stories and ideas he spent a lifetime working with.

This interactive map permits you to tap or click on a detail image to see an enhanced view of that image, find the reference, and learn more about other artworks related to it.

The titles and citations are taken from the original Procession Map, which Swanson created as a guide to his painting in 1983 (and then updated in 2007, with the printing of the serigraph). Where specific stories or figures are referenced in Swanson's other artworks, links to those artworks will follow the citation. Artworks listed after the heading Related Artworks, will contain visual allusions to the referenced work, while telling other stories. Where no additional artworks meet either criteria, we have included Other Cultural References.

Procession Map
Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes Moses Receives the 10 Commandments Jonah and the Big Fish Daniel in the Lions' Den Jacob's Dream David Slays Goliath Samson and Delilah The Three Young Men in the Fiery Furnace Joshua at Jericho David and the Lion Moses Before the Burning Bush Adam and Eve Banished from the Garden or Eden Abraham and Isaac Joseph and His Coat Joseph Welcomes His Brothers in Egypt Ruth and Naomi Noah's Ark Moses in the Bullrushes Moses Strikes Water from the Rock Elijah and Elisha Ruth, Boaz, and Naomi with Obed The Miraculous Catch of Fish The Last Supper The Raising of Lazarus "I Was in Prison and You Came to See Me" The Wedding Feast of Cana The Baptism of Jesus Mary Magdalene Washes Jesus Feet The Flight Into Egypt The Three Kings or Wise Men The Good Shepherd The Resurrection The Annunciation The Entry Into Jerusalem Pentecost: Descent of the Holy Spirit St. Patrick, Archbishop of Armagh, Apostle of Ireland (c.389-461) St. Jerome, Doctor of the Church (c.342-420) St. Benedict, Abbot, Patriarch of Western Monks (died c.547) St. Martin, Bishop of Tours (died 397) St. Giles, Abbot (born c. 650) A Guardian Angel St. Scholastica, Abbess (died 543) St. Paul in Chains St. Rose of Lima (Peru, 1586-1617) St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, Foundress of the Missionary Sisters of The Sacred Heart (1850-1917) St. Michael (in Hebrew: "Who is Like God") the Archangel Everyman (You and I) St. Cecilia, Martyr (3rd Century) St. George, Martyr, Patron and Protector of the Kingdom of England (died c. 303) Francis of Assisi (1181-1226) St. Christopher (in Greek, Christophorus, Christ Bearer," 3rd Century) St. Veronica, Early Follower of Christ St. Elizabeth of Hungary (1207 Hungary -1231 Germany) Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Americas

Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes

Detail image from Procession--Loaves and Fishes

Moses Receives the 10 Commandments

Jonah and the Big Fish

Jonah 1:17 (Jonah 2:1, in the NABRE)

Jonas (Crayon sgraffito, 1974)
Jonah (Lithograph, 1983)
Jonah (Painting, 1999)
Detail image from Loaves And Fishes (Serigraph, 2003)

Daniel in the Lions' Den

Daniel 6:8-24

Daniel (Serigraph, 2000)
Daniel (Etching, 1983)
Daniel in the Lion's Den (Mixed media, 1982)
Daniel in the Lion's Den (Acrylic, 1999)

Jacob's Dream

Genesis 28:12

Dream of Jacob (Serigraph, 1974)
Dream of Jacob (Watercolor, 1984)
Dream of Jacob (Serigraph, 1986)

Related Artworks:
The Jester (Serigraph, 2001)
The Ascent (Giclee, 2014)

David Slays Goliath

1 Samuel 17:49-51

David's Battle (1969, Scraffito)
David and Goliath (Watermedia, 1980)
David and Goliath (Serigraph, 2005)

Samson and Delilah

Judges 16:4-19

Other Cultural Reference:
Let the Bright Seraphim from Samson, by G.F. Handel featuring Kathleen Battle and Wynton Marsalis

The Three Young Men in the Fiery Furnace

Daniel 3

Fiery Furnace (Lithograph, 1982)
Story of Three Young Men (Mixed-media, 1983)
Nebuchadnezzar (Lithograph, 1983)
Fiery Furnace Poster (Poster, 2016)

Joshua at Jericho

David and the Lion

Moses Before the Burning Bush

Exodus 3:1-6

Detail from A Visit (Serigraph, 1995)

Adam and Eve Banished from the Garden or Eden

Genesis 3:23-24

Adam And Eve (Sgraffito, 1969)
Detail from Ecclesiastes (Serigraph, 1989)
Detail from A VISIT (Serigraph, 1995)
Adam and Eve (Giclee, 2016)

Abraham and Isaac

Genesis 22:1-18

Abraham and Isaac (1974, Scraffito)
Abraham and Isaac (1976, Serigraph)
Abraham and Isaac (1994, mixed media painting over a serigraph print)

Joseph and His Coat

Genesis 37:3

The Story of Joseph (Serigraph, 1986)

Joseph Welcomes His Brothers in Egypt

Genesis 45

The Story of Joseph (Serigraph, 1986)

Ruth and Naomi

Ruth 2:2

Story of Ruth (Watercolor sketch, 1989)
Story of Ruth (Serigraph, 1991)

Noah's Ark

Genesis 6-8

Noah's Ark Triptych (Suite of crayon sgraffito paintings) 1969
Building the Ark, The Flood, The Rainbow

Noah's Ark Triptych (Serigraphs) 1974
Building the Ark, The Flood, The Rainbow

Moses in the Bullrushes

Moses Strikes Water from the Rock

Exodus 17:3-6 ; Numbers 20:2-13

Moses (Acrylic painting, 1983)
Moses (Poster, 2016)

Elijah and Elisha

2 Kings 2:11-12

Elijah (Acrylic, 1984)
Elijah (Acrylic, 2008)
Elijah (Giclee, 2008)

Ruth, Boaz, and Naomi with Obed

Ruth 4:13-17

Story of Ruth (Watercolor sketch, 1989)
Story of Ruth (Serigraph, 1991)

The Miraculous Catch of Fish

Luke 5:4-7 ; John 21:4-14

Limited edition prints
Fishermen (Serigraph, 1973)
Great Catch (Serigraph, 1993)
Fishermen (Giclee edition, 2021)

Paintings
Fishermen (Scraffito, 1969)
Let Down Your Nets (Watercolor, 1989)
Fishermen (Watercolor, 1989)
Fishermen (Acrylic mural, 1990)
Let Down Your Nets (Acrylic, 1990)
Great Catch (Acrylic, 1992)

Mosaic
Great Catch (Mosaic, 1993)

The Last Supper

The Raising of Lazarus

John 11:1-44

Raising of Lazarus (painting, 1989)
Take Away the Stone (Sketches, 1991)
Take Away the Stone (Painting, 1992)
Take Away the Stone (Painting, 1993)
Raising of Lazarus (Painting, 1994)
Take Away the Stone (Serigraph, 2005)
Gift of Life (from the Gift Triptych suite of Giclee prints, 2018)

"I Was in Prison and You Came to See Me"

Matthew 25:36

Related images:
Detail from Francis and the Wolf (Serigraph, 2002)
Detail from Last Supper (Serigraph, 2009)
Detail from Francis of Assisi (Painting, 2019)

The Wedding Feast of Cana

The Baptism of Jesus

Matthew 3:13-17 ; Mark 1: 9-11 ; Luke 3:21-22 ; John 1:32-34

The River (Acrylic painting, 1986)
The River (Serigraph, 1987)
The River (Mosaic at St. Matthew's Lutheran Church in Glendale, California, 2012)
The River (Giclee, 2018)
The River (Mural at Ascension Lutheran Church in Thousand Oaks, California, 2018)

Mary Magdalene Washes Jesus Feet

Luke 7: 36-50

Detail from Washing of the Feet (Serigraph, 2000)

Related artworks:
Washing of the Feet (Painting, 1999)
Washing of the Feet 2 (Painting, 1999)
Washing of the Feet 3 (Painting, 1999)
Washing of the Feet (Serigraph, 2000)
Washing of the Feet II (Giclee edition, 2011)
He Washed their Feet (Giclee edition, 2012)
Washing of the Feet (Mural, 2015)

The Flight Into Egypt

Matthew 2:13-15

Flight into Egypt (Painting, 1988)
Flight into Egypt (sketch, 1989)
Flight into Egypt (Serigraph, 2002)

The Three Kings or Wise Men

Matthew 2: 1-12

Epiphany (Crayon sgraffito, 1971)
Epiphany (Scratchboard, 1978)
Epiphany (Acrylic, 1987)
Epiphany (Serigraph, 1988)

The Good Shepherd

The Annunciation

Luke 1:26-38

Annunciation (Sketch, 1989)
Annunciation (Sketch, 1992)
Annunciation (Painting, 1992)
A Visit (Serigraph, 1995)
Annunciation (painting, 2017)
Annunciation (Giclee edition, 2017)

The Entry Into Jerusalem

Matthew 21:1-11 ; Luke 19:28-40 ; John 12:12-19

Entry into the City (Linework study, 1990)
Entry into the City (Painting in progress, 1990)
Entry into the City (Acrylic painting, 1990)
Entry into the City in Life Magazine, December 1994
Entry into the City (Acrylic painting, 2011)
Entry into the City (Giclee, 2012)

Pentecost: Descent of the Holy Spirit

Acts 2:1-41

Pentecost (Etching, 1983)
Pentecost (Hand-painted elaboration on the etching, 1983)
Pentecost (Painting, 2013)
Pentecost (Giclee edition, 2013)

St. Patrick, Archbishop of Armagh, Apostle of Ireland (c.389-461)

St. Jerome, Doctor of the Church (c.342-420)

St. Benedict, Abbot, Patriarch of Western Monks (died c.547)

St. Martin, Bishop of Tours (died 397)

St. Giles, Abbot (born c. 650)

A Guardian Angel

St. Scholastica, Abbess (died 543)

St. Paul in Chains

Acts 12:4 ; Acts 21:33 ; Acts 22:29-30

Related artworks:
The Prisoner (Serigraph, 1972)
The Man Who Goes to Jail (Mixed media paints, 1979)

St. Rose of Lima (Peru, 1586-1617)

St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, Foundress of the Missionary Sisters of The Sacred Heart (1850-1917)

St. Michael (in Hebrew: "Who is Like God") the Archangel

Daniel 10:13-21Jude 9; Revelation 12:7-9

Saint Michael (Mixed media painting, 1980)
Saint Michael (Etching, 1983)
St. Michael and the Archangels (Serigraph, 2006)

Everyman (You and I)

Related images:
Star Mountain (Scratchboard drawing, 1980)
Star Mountain (Mixed-media painting, 1981)

St. Cecilia, Martyr (3rd Century)

St. George, Martyr, Patron and Protector of the Kingdom of England (died c. 303)

A short biography

St. George (Crayon Sgraffito, 1970)
St. George (Serigraph, 1971)
St. George (Acrylic painting, 1985)
St. George (Poster, 2020)

Francis of Assisi (1181-1226)

Short biography of St. Francis
Prayer of St. Francis (Prayer card created for John August Swanson's funeral)

Saint Francis of Assisi (Lithograph, 1985)
Saint Francis of Assisi (Painting, 1999)
Francis and the Wolf (Serigraph, 2002)
Francis and the Birds (Giclee, 2015)
Francis Listens to the Fish (Giclee, 2018)
Canticle of the Sun Suite (Suite of 8 giclee prints, 2020)

Related artworks:
Papageno (Painting, 1986)
Papageno (Serigraph, 2008)

St. Christopher (in Greek, Christophorus, Christ Bearer," 3rd Century)

St. Veronica, Early Follower of Christ

A short biography

This story is remembered as the sixth of the fourteen Stations of the Cross.

St. Elizabeth of Hungary (1207 Hungary -1231 Germany)

A brief biography

Related images:
Detail from Good Samaritan (Serigraph, 2002)
Detail from Last Supper (Serigraph, 2009)
Detail from Madonna of the Harvest (Serigraph, 2010)

Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Americas