In 2003, Indiana extended his Peace Painting series with a group of diamond-shaped paintings of “ping,” the Mandarin word for “peace.” The Ping paintings consist of six single and three four-panel works. Four Diamond Ping is one of two works in the series incorporating English language phrases that echo Biblical language. “Peace be within the walls” comes directly from Psalm 122.7 of the King James Bible, “Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces.” The other three phrases, “Peace be in your hearts,” “Peace be unto this house,” and “Peace be among all people,” closely parallel the verses Colossians 3:15, Luke 10:5, and Romans 12:18, respectively.
