A lot of the art created after the fourth century A.D. until our own time is Christian art, and it illustrates the story of the life of Jesus Christ. It also shows stories from the Old Testament. This handout explains the major events in Christ's life and how they are represented in art. This is not meant to be theologically perfect, but it will give you a general sense of the stories behind the art.

The New Testament

The first four books of the New Testament, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John tell the story of Christ's life and actions on Earth. These four book are called the Gospels and are named after their authors, who are called the evangelists. The rest of the books of the New Testament report the preaching and traveling of Christ's early followers. The last book of the New Testament, Revelation is a vision of the end of the world.

Who's who

Mary, who is Jesus Christ's mother is also called the Virgin Mary or the Madonna. She is a descendent of King David (from the Old Testament) and is therefore from the house of David.

Joseph was engaged to Mary before Christ's birth. He is a carpenter.

John the Baptist is Christ's cousin. He is approximately six months older than Christ. His mother is Elizabeth whom the Bible calls a kinswoman of Mary. John is often called the last prophet, because he is the last of a long line of men who predicted the birth of Christ, the messiah. In art, John is usually shown very thin, and often wears a shirt made from a camel hide, since he went off into the desert and lived there for many years. He will eventually baptize Christ

John is executed by King Herod. John had been thrown into prison for criticizing Herod for marrying a woman named Herodias, who was his brother's widow. While he was in prison, Herodias' daughter Salome danced for Herod at a party. Her performance pleased him so much that he promised to give her anything she wanted. At the prompting of her mother, who resented John's criticism, Salome asked for the head of John the Baptist on a platter.

The followers of Christ are called the disciples. While Christ was alive, they travelled with him and were his students. They were witnesses to Christ's miracles and went on to spread Christianity and establish the church. These men included Peter, Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, James, Thaddeus, Simon and Judas.

The apostles were a larger group which included people who spread Christianity after the death of Christ. Of these people, St. Paul is probably the most important theologically. Ironically, he is also the one who never actually met Christ, and spent time persecuting Christians under the authority of the Jewish temple and priestly hierarchy.
 
 

Christ's Story

Mary lived in Nazareth, and was visited by the Angel Gabriel, a messenger from God, who told her that she would have a child who would be called the son of God. He instructed her to call this child Jesus. This scene in art is called the Annunciation, and usually shows Mary either seated or standing, and the angel who is usually kneeling or standing. It may also have a dove, which represents the Holy Spirit, the agent of Christ's conception.

After the Annunciation, Mary went to visit her kinswoman Elizabeth, who was pregnant with John the Baptist. As Mary entered Elizabeth's garden, Elizabeth said that the child (John the Baptist) lept inside her body. From this Elizabeth knew that Mary would be the mother of the promised Messiah. This meeting between them is called the Visitation.

Just before Christ's birth, Caesar Augustus, the Roman Emperor ordered a census and while they were there Christ was born. Because there was no room for Mary in the Inn, Christ was born in a stable. This scene in art is called the Nativity. It can be shown happening in a cave or a barn. The image usually includes Mary, Joseph, Jesus, an ox and a donkey. The animals are there because they fulfil an Old Testament prophecy about Christ's birth. At various times in the history of art, extra peiple are added, usually women to help Mary and bathe the infant.

After Christ was born, angels appeared to a group of shepherds who were in the hills near Bethlehem, telling them of the birth of Christ. The angels encouraged the shepherds to go to Bethlehem and see this child. This scene is called the Annunciation to the Shepherds, and is simply shown as angels in the sky, men and sheep on the hills. The shepherds can also be shown as part of the Nativity, worshipping the Christ child.

When Christ was born, a large, bright star appeared in the sky over the stable. Wise men from "the east" travelled to Bethlehem, following the star until they found Christ. They bowed down and worshipped him and gave him gifts, including gold, frankincense and myrrh. This scene is called the Adoration of the Magi. (Magi means wise men, one wise man is a magus) The three kings are usually richly dressed.

Before the wise men arrived at Bethlehem, they stopped in Jerusalem (about 5 miles north of Bethlehem) asking "Where is he who has been born king of the Jews?" When Herod the King heard about this, he was upset and ordered the three men to tell him the location of the child. After they found Christ, they were warned in a dream to leave the area without telling Herod anything, since Herod wanted to kill the Christ child. Joseph was also warned of Herod's plans in a dream, and was told to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt and wait there. This scene is called the Flight into Egypt. Because Herod didn't know which child was the messiah, he ordered the murder of all male children under the age of two in the area around Bethlehem. He did this so there would be no king other than himself. This is usually called the Massacre of the Innocents. After Herod's death, an angel came to Joseph in a dream and told him to take his family back to Nazareth.

While Christ was an infant, his parents took him to the Jewish temple in Jerusalem, where he was presented to the lord, with a sacrifice of two birds (usually doves or pigeons). In the temple there was a man named Simeon. The lord had promised him that he would see the messiah before he died. When Simeon held Christ, he realized that this child was the messiah. This scene is called the Presentation in the Temple.

Christ's childhood and early adulthood is seldom represented in art. He reappears, probably at about the age of thirty when John the Baptist was baptizing people in the river Jordan. Jesus asked John to baptize him. When John did this, the spirit of God came down like a dove and there was a voice from heaven saying "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased." This scene, the Baptism of Christ, usually shows John on the river bank, Christ standing in the water, and angels on the other side of the river, with a dove flying down from above.

After his baptism, Christ travelled around Palestine preaching and working miracles. The miracles appear in early Christian art more than in later art. They included helaing people who were blind or lame or had disease like leprosy or mental illnesses. He also turned water into wine, and fed thousands of people from just a few loaves of bread and fish.

An important event during Christ's ministry was the Transfiguration. Jesus took the disciples Peter, John and James and went up a mountain to pray. While Christ prayed, the disciples saw him become different, his face changed and his clothes became glowing white. They also saw him talking with Moses and Elijah, two old testament figures. Moses and Elijah spoke of Christ's departure from Jerusalem and something that would happen in the future.

One of Christ's most important miracles occurred when he raised Lazarus, a friend of his, from the dead. Christ was away when Lazarus died and returned three days later, after the burial. Christ called to Lazarus in his tomb and brought him back to life. The scene of the Raising of Lazarus usually shows Christ and a group of apostles standing in front of a tomb that looks like a cave. Inside the tomb, Lazarus stands wrapped up like a mummy.

THE PASSION OF CHRIST

The event that led up to Christ's death on the cross and his resurrection are called the passion.

The passion begins with Christ's Entry into Jerusalem. Christ traveled to Jerusalem at the height of his popularity. He entered the city riding on a donkey, and people took off their cloaks and cut branches off trees to spread beneath the feet of the donkey. This scene usually shows Christ on a donkey outside of the city, surrounded by people putting clothes and branches in front of him. Often there is a man in a tree, trying to get a better look. The city is often pictured as high wall with an arched gate in it.

The next step of the passion was the last supper. This was a meal celebrated by Christ and his disciples during the feast of Passover. Two important things happened that evening:

It was at this meal that Christ revealed to his disciples that one of them was going to betray him.  Also, Christ instituted the communion service, (the Eucharist) which became the core of the Christian church service. He told them that the bread they were eating was his body and the wine they were drinking was his blood. He explained that he was doing this for the forgiveness of their sins. This meal symbolized the upcoming sacrifice of Christ's death on the cross.

The Last Supper is usually a scene of Christ and the twelve disciples around or behind a table. On the table there may be a large, decorated cup and flat plate. They are called the chalice and patten, which are still used in Christian church services.

After this dinner, Christ and the disciples went to the garden of Gethsemane. Christ and three disciples left while the others slept to pray separately. At his point Christ asks God if He (Christ) can avoid the fate of crucifixion. This scene is called the Agony in the Garden, and shows Christ and his disciples praying outside at night.

A little later, while still in the Garden, Jesus was betrayed by Judas, one of his disciples. Judas had agreed to identify Christ to the authorities in exchange for thirty pieces of silver. The arrangement was that Judas would kiss Christ, so that the soldiers would know whom to arrest. The Betrayal (sometimes called the Arrest of Christ) is also a night scene, showing a group of soldiers, a group of disciples and Judas kissing Christ.

Next, Christ was taken before the governor of that area, Pontius Pilate. Christ had been accused by the religious authorities, but because there was a holiday, the governor could free one prisoner (a kind of amnesty). The people wanted the thief Barabbas released instead of Christ. At this point, Pilate washed his hands to signify that the people of Jerusalem were responsible for the decision to execute Christ. The scene of Pilate Washing his Hands usually shows a man on a throne with Christ in front of him washing his hands with a pitcher and a basin.

After this, soldiers took Christ and put a crown of thorns on his head and forced him to carry a cross to the area outside the city wall called Golgotha where crucifixions took place.

The Crucifixion usually depicts Christ hanging on a cross, set on a hill. There may be two other men hanging on crosses, thieves executed at the same time. The thief on Christ's right accepted Christ while hanging on the cross, and Christ told him that he would go to heaven. The thief on Christ's left did not accept Christ.

On the ground, usually on the left side, artists show Mary and a crowd of women, while St. John (not the Baptist) and a group of men appear on the left. Often there is a group of soldiers gambling to see who would get Christ's robe. There is also a spear which was used to pierce Christ's side to make sure he was dead. All of this happened on a Friday.

After Christ died, his followers removed his body from the cross. This scene, which is called the Descent from the Cross or the Deposition shows the limp, dead body of Christ detached from the cross and lowered int the arms of those below. Often present are Mary, Mary Magdalen, (a former prostitute who gave up a life of sin to follow Christ) St. John, and Joseph of Arimathea. This Joseph was a follower of Christ. Since he already owned a tomb, he gave it for Christ's burial.

It is important to remember that Christ died on a Friday afternoon and had to be buried quickly, before the Jewish sabbath began at sunset Friday evening. Because there was little time left before sunset, the women did not have time to bathe the body and wrap it in linen and spices, which was the custom at that time. They instead returned after the sabbath, on Sunday morning, to complete this task.

Because the Jewish authorities believed that Christ had said he would rise again after three days, they asked Pilate to put soldiers at the tomb. They thought the Christians would steal the body away and claim that Christ had risen. For this reason, images of the Resurrection show a tomb that may look like a small building with an open door or a cave with a large, round stone off to the side. Near the tomb are a few soldiers lying asleep, because theywere struck unconscious when the resurrection happened.

The Marys (there may be two or three) including Mary Magdalen came to the tomb to finish wrapping Christ's body with linen and spices and met an angel, who told them that Christ wasn't in the tomb, that he had risen.

The Mission of the Apostles is the scene where Christ commands the disciples to go to different countries, converting and baptizing people, spreading Christianity. This scene usually shows Christ and the group of apostles, usually with some rays coming from Christ and going to the apostles., signifying the power he has granted them.

Christ spent 40 days on Earth after the Resurrection. After 40 days he rose up into the air and disappeared into a cloud. This is called the Ascension, and can appear in different ways. Often a crowd of disciples are on the ground and Christ is lifted up to heaven by angels in a puff of clouds. There is also an early Christian image that shows Christ in profile, walking up a mountainside into heaven.

After the Ascension, the Apostles and Mary returned to Jerusalem, where the Pentecost took place. This was when they were all together. "And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." (Acts 2:2-4) This speaking in tongues, or foreign languages, allowed them to go as missionaries to foreign countries. The Pentecost is usually represented as a group of people around a table or central space, with little rows of flame coming down onto their heads, often from a dove in the center of the composition. The difference between the Pentecost and the Mission of the Apostles is that Christ is absent in the Pentecost.

The Last Judgment is a scene that represents the end of the world and the end of time. At this time, Christ will return to the Earth, the dead will rise up out of their graves, and everybody will be judged and sent to heaven or hell. Christ is usually portrayed on a throne, indicating his role as the king of heaven. Often, he is surrounded by 24 men playing musical instruments. These are the twenty four elders of the apocalypse. The source for this is the book of Revelation, written by St. John. John bases this on a vision sent to him by God.

OLD TESTAMENT

There are a few stories which occur often in the visual arts.

Adam and Eve. God created Adam and Eve on the sixth day of creation. Adam was created first; God formed Adam out of earth and breathed the breath of life into his nostrils. God then made Eve from a rib in Adams side. He placed them in the Garden of Eden, which contained two trees, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and the tree of life. Adam and Eve were forbidden to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The serpent tempted Eve to eat from this tree. She did so and gave some to Adam who also ate the fruit. When God discovered their disobedience Adam and Eve were forced to leave the garden. An angel with a flaming sword drove them out and kept them away from the tree of life. This is considered the original sin, which meant that when men died, their death was permanent, there was no afterlife. Jesus’ death on the cross redeemed man from this original sin, and made an eternal life in heaven possible for Christians.

Abraham and Isaac. Isaac was the son of Abraham and Sarah, born when Abraham was already old. God tested Abraham by commanding him to make a sacrifice of Isaac, to kill Isaac on an altar. Abraham, Isaac, and two young men, along with a donkey to carry wood for the fire went up into the mountains. Abraham and Isaac took the wood and went on alone. When Isaac asked his father about the animal needed for the sacrifice, Abraham told him that God would provide the lamb. Just as Abraham is about to cut Isaac's throat, an angel of God stops the sacrifice. Isaac was spared as a reward for Abraham's obedience.

Moses crossing the Red Sea is an image showing Moses leading his people out of Egypt, freeing them from slavery in Egypt. God causes the Red Sea to part, so the Jews can escape the Egyptians who are chasing them. When the Jews are safely on the other side, God causes the sea to come crashing down on the pursuing Egyptians. This is an image of salvation, God saving his people form death, and also can be a reference to baptism, where people emerged into a new life in the promised land of the Christian faith.

Jonah is a prophet in the Old Testament who is ordered by God to go to a foreign land and preach to its inhabitants. He doesn’t want to do this, so runs away from God on a ship. God sends a violent storm to sink the ship. Jonah tells the sailors that they should throw him overboard; the storm was sent by God to punish him and not them. So, they throw him overboard where he is swallowed by what the Bible calls a big fish (we now call it a whale). After spending 3 days in the belly of the whale, Jonah is cast up onto land. After resting, Jonah goes on to preach in obedience to God’s command. This scene is a typological prefiguration of Christ’s death and resurrection, and an image that could be associated with baptism, where people came up out of the water into a new life. In an early church where leaders often went out into foreign countries to convert people and establish churches, this story would have had a lot of potential meanings.