A study of the iconography of Christ, through 1600 years of Christian art, based on research conducted in museums all over the world.
After Mary in European Art, which has sold well in bookshops in Italy and abroad, Timothy Verdon approaches the imagery of Christ throughout the history of religious painting in the Western world since the origin of Christian art. As demonstrated by the itinerary of images selected by the author, Christ appears before Mary, because the artists of late antiquity already included Christian symbols such as the “good shepherd” amidst the figures on sarcophagi, votive plaques and mosaics until the 4th century AD.
Through five theme chapters, the author carefully retraces the role of Christ in art as representative of the Word made visible, as son of Mary, preacher and healer, protagonist of the Passion, and finally as the supreme symbol of divine glory.
The volume contains 200 full-color illustrations that reconstruct the evolution and the role of this key figure in Christian iconography.