The Online Collection
of Christian and Liturgical Art

Last updated: 9/10/06

Compiled and Written by Jonathan Bennett

Introduction

Christian art has a long and fascinating history. Christian Art has both a liturgical and secular history. Although the Jewish tradition had been opposed to artwork depicting humans, the Church, believing in the fullness of the Incarnation, embraced the use of images in worship. Also, the importance of symbol in the Catholic and Orthodox tradition is important when thinking about religious art. The truth of the event is many times more powerfully conveyed through the visual than through words. This is not to devalue words, just to recognize that there are different ways by which we know God and understand the Christian stories. For many Protestant Christians, the enjoyment of art or nature has been a somewhat guilty pleasure, difficult to reconcile with the faith. However, in the Catholic and Orthodox traditions, the reality of the Incarnation and the value of symbolism have ensured a wonderful Christian artistic tradition. I have compiled various works of Christian art, grouping them by season, theme, person, etc. This is an ongoing project and will be regularly updated to include some of the best and most famous art. Most of these works come from the incredible efforts of Carol Gerten. So, please click on her ads and support her effort.

Let the beauty of these works and the symbols they contain deepen your faith in a way that words often cannot.

Advent

The Birth of John the Baptist (D. Ghirlandaio)
St. John the Baptist in the Wilderness (Limbourg Brothers)
St. John the Baptist in the Wilderness (H. Bosch)
Sleeping Christ with Zacharias and St. John the Baptist (Cagnacci)

Christmas

Christmas Morning (Maxfield Parris)
The Nativity (F. Barocci)
The Nativity (Robert Campin)
Mystical Nativity (Botticelli)
The Nativity (G. Hornebout)
Nativity (1887) (Burne-Jones)
Nativity (1888) (Burne-Jones)

Epiphany

Epiphany (H. Bosch)
Halt of the Wise Men (John LaFarge)
Adoration of the Magi (Botticelli)
Adoration of the Magi (Correggio)
Adoration of the Magi (Rubens)
Marriage Feast at Cana (Juan De Valdes Leal)
Star of Bethlehem (Burne-Jones)

Lent

Temptation of Christ (Botticelli)
St. Thomas of Villaneuva Distributing Alms (Murillo)
Praying Shepherd (Pieter Bruegel II)
The Fast Day Meal (Chardin)

Holy Week

Christ Washing Peter's Feet (Ford Maddox Brown)
Christ On the Cross with Mary Magdalene (Signorelli)
Deposition From The Cross (Fiorentino)
Christ Carrying the Cross (El Greco)
Lamentation at the Tomb (Van der Weyden)
Jesus at the Tomb (Jean-Jacques Henner)

Easter

He is Risen! The First Easter (Arthur Hughes)
The Morning of the Resurrection (Burne-Jones)
Resurrection (Albrecht Altdorfer)
Noli Me Tangere (Correggio)
Easter Procession at St. Mark's (Prendergast)
Icon of the Resurrection (Obermeyer)
Icon of the Resurrection (Traditional)

Ascension

The Ascension (Giotto)
Icon of the Ascension (Traditional)
The Ascension of Christ (Dali)

Pentecost

Pentecost (Egg Tempera on Poplar) (Giotto)
Pentecost (Coptic Icon)

Our Lord

Christ Driving Traders from the Temple (El Greco)
Christ and the Woman of Samaria (Juan de Flandes)
Yellow Christ (Paul Gauguin)
The Blessing Christ (Raphael)
Light of the World (Holman-Hunt)
Head of Christ (DaVinci) (ed.- I was fortunate enough to see this while in Melbourne and it is mesmerizing)

The Blessed Virgin Mary (Our Lady)

Icon of the Annunciation (Anon)
The Annunciation (Fre Filippo Lippi)
The Annunciation (Jan van Eyck)
The Virgin with Angels (Bouguereau)
Birth of the Virgin (Albrecht Altdorfer)
Virgin and Child (Luis de Morales)
Coronation of the Virgin (Fra Angelico)
Madonna Worshipping the Child (Correggio)
Assumption of the Virgin (Murillo)
Madonna of the Meadows (Raphael)
Icon of the Dormition (Theophanes the Greek)
Theotokos of Vladimir Icon

The Holy Family

Holy Family Icon
The Holy Family (Claudio Coello)
The Holy Family (Pompeo Batoni)
The Holy Family (Peter Paul Rubens)

Churches

St. John's Church (Bridgewood)
Interior of a Church (de Witte)
Church at Auvers (van Gogh)
Salisbury Cathedral from the Bishop's Ground (Constable)
Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows (Constable)

God's Handiwork

The Garden in Flower (Monet)
Riverbank in Autumn (Parrish)
Mountain Farm at Winter (Parrish)
Genesee Valley Landscape (Asher Brown Durand)
Landscape With Oak Tree (Alexandre Calame)

Miscellaneous

All Saints Icon (Anonymous)
The Last Judgment (Sistine Chapel) (Michelangelo)

Ancient and Future Catholics
ChurchYear.Net

Index  Basic Beliefs  Articles
Lectionary Sermons  Art, Poetry, and Hymns  Prayers and Devotions  Objections and Concerns
Who We Are  Staff  Contact Us  Reading List  ChurchYear.Net

Report Offensive Ad

ChurchYear.Net

Ancient & Future Catholic Podcast

Per Christum Blog

Objections?

Prayers & Devotions

Art, Poetry, Hymns

Lectionary Sermons

Reading List

Conversion Stories & Resources

hit counter code