Classic Art on This Site
TL;DR:
Judeo-Christian themes have profoundly shaped Western art for centuries. Follow the links to pages featuring works that illustrate the interplay of Bible and art while enriching the site’s content.
Masterpieces that stir emotions and speak to our souls
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 more than three dozen images used on the pages of this website demonstrate the enduring influence of the Bible on Western art. More than that, I hope their use adds value to the content of the pages on which they appear.
These masterpieces can speak into the depths of our souls and stir our emotions. I hope you will let that happen to you.
More Than 40 Art Masterpieces Illustrating Webpage Content
- “Abraham’s Counsel to Sarai,” by James Tissot
- “Acts of the Apostles, chapter 1,” by Distant Shores Media/Sweet Publishing
- “Agnus Dei” (Lamb of God), by Francisco de Zurbarán
- “Ansgar Preaching", by Gustaf Cederström
- “The Angel Appearing to the Shepherds,” by Thomas Cole
- “The Beheading of St. James,” by Philip Galle
- “Christ on the Sea of Galilee,” by Peter Paul Rubens
- “Christ’s Prophecy of the End of the World,” by Frans Hogenberg
- “Daniel’s Vision of Four Beasts,” by Matthäus Merian
- “Devotions at Home,” by Elisabeth Baumann
- “Divine Service in the Catacombs of St. Calixtus, A.D. 50,” unknown
- 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
- “Ezekiel Cuts Off His Beard and Hair and Burns It,” by unknown
- “Feeding the Poor,” by Wilhelm Gause
- “The Great Commission,” stained glass window in El Paso, TX
- “He created dry land, the seas and plants,” woodcut by Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld
- “The Huns at the Battle of Chalons,” by A. De Neuville
- Indulgence seller at work, anonymous
- “Jesus and Zacchaeus,” by Niels Larsen Stevns
- “Jesus Sends Out 70 Disciples,” anonymous
- “Jewish Temple — The Soul of Jerusalem,” by Alex Levin
- “Jonah,” 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,” by James Tissot
- “Lost Sheep,” by Adolf Wagner von der Mühl
- “The Merchants Chased from the Temple,” by James Tissot
- “Missionary preaching in a kukui grove in Hawai‘i,” by Alfred T. Agate
- “Moses before the burning bush,” by Gebhard Fugel
- “My Shepherd,” painting on a ceiling in St. Callixtus catacomb outside Rome
- “Oppression of the Israelites in Egypt,” by unknown artist
- “The Passion of Creation,” by Leonid Pasternak
- “Peter denies that he is one of Jesus’ disciples,” by Gustave Doré
- “Preaching to Natives on the lava at Kokukano, Hawai‘i,” sketch by William Ellis
- “Reading the Bible,” by Gerrit Dou
- “The Reapers,” by Pierre-Auguste Renoir
- Satan — detail in “The Last Judgment” by Jacob de Backer
- “Saint Ambrose,” by Rutilio di Lorenzo Manetti
- “The Sermon of the Beatitudes,” by James Tissot
- “Still Life with a Bible,” by Vincent van Gogh
- “The Temptation of Christ,” by Juan de Flandes
- “The Ten Commandments,” Providence Lithograph Company card
- “The Twelve Minor Prophets,” marble relief in Orvieto, Italy
- “Young Samuel Hears God’s Voice,” Providence Lithograph Company card
- “Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog,” by Caspar David Friedrich
- “William Carey Translating the Bible” by Arthur Grosvenor Daniels
— Howard Culbertson, hculbert@snu.edu
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