Christian Art - A Brief History Of Faith

By Author: jhon mathew
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Christian Art - A Brief History of Faith

As the name suggests, Christian art is indeed the use of art to depict various elements and principles of Christianity. The practice of Christian art is not new; rather it dates back to thousands of centuries. Needless to say, Jesus Christ forms the core of this art form. Images of Christ's life, his teachings and depictions of His birth, crucifixion and resurrection are primary subject matters among artists who practice Christian art. Since, Christianity has its roots in Judaism, which forbids the use of images, Christian art met with objections from various quarters initially. However, Christianity continues to use images and art to propagate and express itself throughout the history of time. It was the religious movement of - The Reformation, which accelerated and encouraged the production of Christian art. Paintings depicting Jesus and his life were in demand from clergy, churches and laity.

The Very Beginning

The oldest Christian paintings have been found at a site at Megiddo and these dates back to year 70 and the Catacombs of Rome have ...
... harbored the largest group of early Christian paintings. These paintings show how Jesus came to be depicted. Roman art served as the mentor for Christian art until Christianity was adopted by Constantine. Since then, Christian art has developed independently and the mosaics found in churches in Rome are examples.

Even though the fall of the Roman Empire led to a political collapse, the religious body, Roman Catholic Church, came to the rescue of Christian art. They supported, funded and propagated this sacred art. The Byzantine Empire continued to help evolve the art form leading to standardization of religious imagery.

Renaissance and Modern Period

The Renaissance period slowed down the production of quality Christian art. With the Protestant Reformation in the West, Christian art almost came to a halt in most Protestant countries. Artists now switched over to more secular and acceptable forms of art such as portraits, landscapes etc. Catholic countries continued to develop more Christian art but under stringent rules. The 19th century brought with it the secular and non sectarian notion of art. Very soon, this form of art began to be appreciated for skill and technique rather than for worship.

Themes that are popular in Christian art include Adoration of the Magi, The Last Supper, Madonna and Child, Arrest of Jesus, Descent from the Cross etc. Modern artists like Graham Sutherland, Jacob Epstein and Henry Matisse have produced Christian art for churches and the clergy.


Christian art paintings are all about propagating the gospel of Jesus Christ, with such great lineage and names behind this art form, it is a must to be acquainted with it. Visit a Christian art gallery, read more about this art form, and find solace in the imagery that is projected onto canvas, simply by looking at them, waste no time and get one of these beautiful paintings.