Bernardino di Betto, called Pinturicchio, is said to have acquired his nickname ("little painter") because of his small stature, and used it to sign some of his paintings. Born in Perugia, the provincial capital of Umbria, he trained under local artists, eventually becoming a paid assistant of the p
Saint Elizabeth was born in 1207, the daughter of Andreas II, King of Hungary; her crown alludes to her royal birth. Many legends about her generosity and work on behalf of the poor were circulated in the Middle Ages, among them the subject of this sculpture: food she was carrying to the poor was mi
Saint Symeon the Younger was a stylite saint, an early Christian ascetic who fled the world for the desert and, perched on a column, spent his days fasting and praying. The site of Symeon’s column attracted many pilgrims during and after his lifetime. Medallions like this one, showing Symeon atop hi
This is a list of my favorite 12 orders of Catholic nuns and sisters in no particular order. This list includes their history, and images of their habits. What is a Catholic Nun or Sister? In the Roman Catholic tradition, there are many religious institutes of nuns and sisters (the...
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Twelve public-domain medieval and Renaissance statues of the Virgin Mary and the Christ Child, free to download.
This sculptural relief belongs to a large series made for the Franciscan friary of San Vivaldo (founded 1350) in the Tuscan hills southwest of Florence. The friary was enlarged between 1500 and 1530 when 32 chapels were built, each dedicated to an incident in the life or Passion of Christ. San Vival
This figure is one of only two known surviving fragments of the Reliquary Châsse of Saint-Germain. Fashioned from silver, gold, and precious stones, it was designed to hold the body of the saint. A contract from 1409 gives the names of the commissioned goldsmiths: Jean de Clichy, Gautier du Four, an
This rare Ottoman embroidery features a floral bouquet that enriches the field under an elegant arch of gilt-metal thread. Flanked by vines of tulips and irises on a silver-metal-thread ground, vases of tulips and jonquils within cartouches adorn the main border and the well-turned corners, a sign o
The visual focus of this altarpiece is the suffering and death of Christ on the cross. So-called Passion cycles in art include the events leading up to and following the Crucifixion, not only as single subjects but as scenes meant to be read in sequence. Passion cycles were promoted by the two great
This pyx shows Christ as Pantokrator (Ruler of the World), the Apostles, and the Virgin as a continuous frieze of figures seated in high-backed chairs with cushions. The tapered lip of the body of the pyx was intended to dovetail into the missing lid. Because of its style, the box is thought to be f
Noël Nicolas Coypel combined two stories associated with Saint James the Greater, one of the twelve apostles of Christ. In the foreground is the magician Hermogenes, begging forgiveness. Hermogenes had cast a spell on James, but the saint turned the curse back on him. When James offered to protect H
Johann Peter Schwanthaler belonged to a renowned family of sculptors that produced works for religious and domestic settings throughout Bavaria, Austria, and southern Germany for more than 250 years. This imposing image of God the Father would have formed part of a larger group, probably at the top
This rare surviving hanging with Christian symbols likely served as a wall decoration in a church or a home. The three men who stand beneath an arch may represent the three Hebrews who refused to worship a golden idol, and when cast into the fiery furnace, remained unharmed due to God’s deliverance
The images found on the sides of surviving lead pilgrims' ampullae include scenes relating to the life of Christ, and by extension to the holy sites (loca sancta) where the events took place. Cast into the sides of this ampulla are scenes of Christ's Crucifixion on the front and the Ascension on the
Mass-produced plaquettes like this work offered high quality devotional images for private use. The Latin title of this work, according to the Gospel of John (19:1-5), refers to the words that were spoken by Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea, when he presented Christ, scourged and crowned
Impressively large and elaborately embellished, the cross to which this fragment belonged was likely carried in liturgical processions. The central medallion on its front depicts Christ, flanked by medallions showing the Virgin and Saint John the Baptist. Together they form the Deesis, a powerful By
George Hitchcock decided to study art in Paris after practicing law for five years. He eventually settled in Holland and painted this Dutch peasant mother holding her baby and posing formally in a garden. Hitchcock was a visionary painter fascinated by the power of faith. But, like with many of his
Is this painting by Titian?Titian, the celebrated and prolific 16th-century Venetian artist, and his large workshop painted several versions of this subject. Further research is needed to compare this painting with versions in Milan and Madrid to determine how much of each is by Titian himself, as o
Girolamo da Treviso the Younger created this drawing as a preparatory design for a painting while working in Bologna at the Church of Santissimo Salvatore. The type of composition is known as a sacre conversazione (sacred conversation). Invented in Venice, this genre featured saints within expansive
The third scene in the series depicts one of the final events of the pope’s stay. At the back of the magnificent audience hall of Santi Giovanni e Paolo, the doge (in gold and white) approaches the throne to receive his papal blessing, with a line of red-robed senators in his wake. Medium: Oil on c
This figure comes from the tomb of Duke Philip the Bold from the church of Champmol near Dijon (Burgundy, France). Philip, who founded the monastery and designated it as his burial place, hired the best artists, many of whom came from the Netherlands. While the commission was given in 1381, the work
This fragment and two other capitals (1972.20 and 1972.21) were once parts of the same structure. Though the original structure is unknown, their style suggests that it was located in Bologna. As the fragmentary Latin inscription S: LU suggests, the ox represents the traditional symbol in medieval a
In the Gospel of John, a group of scribes and Pharisees, following the law of the Ten Commandments, intends to stone a woman who has committed adultery. The group first asks Christ's opinion of their actions, hoping to accuse him of heresy, but Christ ignores them by writing on the ground. When they
In medieval Italian churches, painted altarpieces served as the focal point for worshippers during the rituals of faith. The figures of Jesus, Mary, and eight saints are framed by a golden background that would have glistened in the flickering candlelight of the church. Medium: Tempera and gold on
It was a common early Christian practice to stamp images and inscriptions into loaves of bread using special molds. Representing the Church of the Holy Sepulcher on Mount Golgotha--the hill outside Jerusalem on which Christ was crucified and entombed--this wooden mold was probably used to stamp loav
At the end of two years Pharaoh dreams that he stands by the river and sees seven lean cows come up and eat the seven fat ones, a dream only Joseph will be able to interpret. (Genesis 41:1-4) The Life of Joseph Visualized is a 1946 Bible comic book from The Standard Publishing Company of Cincinnati
Haman bows before King Ahasuerus and speaks against the Jews: "There is a certain people scattered abroad... and they do not keep the king's laws." (Esther 3:8) Life of Esther Visualized is a 1947 Bible comic book from The Standard Publishing Company of Cincinnati, Ohio, a publisher of Sunday schoo
Growing up in exile in Persia, the young Hadassah, later called Esther, prays the psalm of the captives: "How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land? If I forget thee, O Jerusalem..." (Psalm 137:4-6) Life of Esther Visualized is a 1947 Bible comic book from The Standard Publishing Company
