Page 10 from the Sketchbook (Hildegard von Bingen)

Faith in Christ, in God, and in His creation shapes Paul’s thinking. In the Letter to the Colossians, he describes Christ as the origin and goal of all being. Faith is a gift of Christ’s grace. For him, creation is a living whole; it is destined to find its goal in God.

In her *Liber Divinorum Operum* (c. 1163–1174), Hildegard of Bingen explores the Pauline concept of the cosmos through a visionary lens.
She describes the human being as a microcosm connected to the entire universe. Fabienne Verdier engages deeply with this idea in the creation of her "Rainbow Paintings."

Through movement, energy, and light, Verdier’s painting opens a window onto a world beyond the visible. Her titles allude to various continents, cultures, and languages. Everything is interconnected through the cosmos—reflecting Paul’s vision of a world oriented toward unity and fulfillment.

How can the cosmos be depicted?
Hildegard of Bingen and Fabienne Verdier offer very
different answers. Nearly nine centuries separate them,
yet they are united by the quest for an energy that encompasses all living things.

In his letters, Paul describes creation as a living whole.
In the Letter to the Romans, he writes that all creation awaits its renewal. In the Letter to the Colossians, Christ is the origin and goal of all being.
Creation is not a completed event; it is an ongoing journey toward fulfillment. Hildegard of Bingen took up this concept in the 12th century;
her visions reveal the cosmos as an order permeated by God.

Humanity and nature are inextricably linked. This perspective is also found in Pope Francis’s 2015 encyclical *Laudato si’*: creation forms a common home, and its preservation is the responsibility of all people.

Verdier approaches the same question from a contemporary perspective. Her painting makes visible the universal forces that shape the world. In this way, medieval theology and contemporary art enter into a dialogue about the unity and interconnectedness of all life.