Classic Art on This Site
Through the centuries, artists and sculptors have drawn extensively on Judeo-Christian subjects and themes to create works that have profoundly shaped the visual and cultural heritages. From the biblical scenes depicted in the frescoes of Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel to the lifelike marble statues of saints and apostles by Bernini, Judeo-Christian narratives have provided rich material for artistic expression. These works have illustrated stories from both the Old and New Testaments, conveyed theological truths, and celebrated key figures such as Moses, the prophets, Christ, and the Apostles.
Stained glass windows, paintings, mosaics, and carved cathedral facades have brought these sacred stories to life for believers. They have served as both decoration and teaching tools in an age when many could not read the Scriptures. Even in the modern era, Judeo-Christian imagery continues to inspire creativity, symbolizing moral ideals and spiritual hope. The images used on the pages of this website demonstrate the enduring influence of the Bible on Western art. I hope you enjoy their use here.
Three Dozen Art Masterpieces as Illustrations
- "Abraham's Counsel to Sarai," watercolor by James Tissot, Jewish Museum, New York
- "Acts of the Apostles, chapter 1," by Distant Shores Media/Sweet Publishing
- "Agnus Dei" (Lamb of God) oil painting by Francisco de Zurbaran, Museo del Prado, Madrid
- "Christ on the Sea of Galilee" by Peter Paul Rubens
- "Christ's Prophecy of the End of the World" by Frans Hogenberg
- "Devotions at Home" oil painting by Elisabeth Baumann
- "Divine Service in the Catacombs of St. Calixtus, A.D. 50," black and white illustration, late 19th century
- Earth's City Lights, photo
- Easter: "The Holy Women at Christ’s Tomb" by Annibale Carracci
- Elder brother. Illustration of Luke 15 by Jim Padgett
- "The Great Commission," stained glass window at the Cathedral Parish of Saint Patrick in El Paso
- "He created dry land, the seas and plants," woodcut by Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld for The Bible in Pictures
- Indulgence seller at work, woodcut, anonymous
- Jesus and Zacchaeus," oil painting by Niels Larsen Stevns
- Jesus Sends Out 70 Disciples," anonymous
- Jewish Temple - The Soul of Jerusalem" oil painting by Alex Levin
- "Jonah," The University and State Library, Darmstadt (Germany), anonymous
- "Jonah Preaches to the Ninevites" From Ridpath's Universal History, Book Third
- "Light of the Lamb" mosaic on church building
- "The Lord's Prayer," watercolor by James Tissot
- "Lost Sheep," baptismal fountain relief by Adolf Wagner von der Mühl, Vienna, Austria
- "The Merchants Chased from the Temple" by James Tissot
- "Missionary preaching in a kukui grove in Hawai" -- drawn by Alfred T. Agate, engraved by J. A. Rolph
- "Moses before the burning bush," oil painting by Gebhard Fugel
- My Shepherd | Painting on a ceiling in St. Callixtus catacomb, outskirts of Rome
- "The Passion of Creation" oil painting by Leonid Pasternak
- "Peter denies that he is one of Jesus’ disciples" y Gustave Dore
- "Preaching to Natives on the lava at Kokukano, Hawaii," sketch by William Ellis
- "Reading the Bible" oil on panel by Gerrit Dou, The Louvre, Paris
- "The Reapers," oil painting by Pierre-Auguste Renoir
- Satan -- detail in "The Last Judgment" by Jacob de Backer
- "Saint Ambrose" oil painting by Rutilio di Lorenzo Manetti
- "The Sermon of the Beatitudes," watercolor painting by James Tissot
- "Still Life with a Bible" oil painting by Vincent van Gogh, van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam
- "The Temptation of Christ" by Juan de Flandes
- "The Ten Commandments," illustration from a card published by Providence Lithograph Company
- Young Samuel Hears God's Voice, illustration from a card published by Providence Lithograph Company
- "Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog" by Caspar David Friedrich
-- Howard Culbertson, hculbert@snu.edu
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