Artworks Depicting the Pietà and Lamentation of Christ
Public-domain paintings and sculptures of the Pietà and the Lamentation of Christ, from medieval Vesperbilder to Baroque masterpieces, free to download.
Public Domain Paintings1252
Free downloadable Catholic paintings which are in the public domain
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Artworks Depicting the Annunciation
Public-domain paintings, icons and sculpture of the Annunciation, when the angel Gabriel greets Mary, all free to download.
Coronation of the Virgin (1410) by Master of the Fröndenberg Altarpiece - Public Domain Catholic Painting
This panel once formed the left wing of an altarpiece originally located in a Cistercian convent in the German town of Fröndenberg. The Coronation of the Virgin was a common subject; though it is not based on a biblical text it often appeared in medieval books of hours as a focus of contemplation. I
Paintings by Gebhard Fugel
Public-domain Bible paintings by the German artist Gebhard Fugel, free to download.
Artworks Depicting the Nativity of Jesus
Public-domain paintings of the birth of Jesus and the adoration of the shepherds, free to download.
Artworks Depicting the Adoration of the Magi
Public-domain paintings of the Adoration of the Magi, from Mantegna and Rubens to Ukrainian icons, free to download.
Artworks Depicting the Crucifixion of Jesus
Twelve public-domain paintings of the Crucifixion, from Gothic panels to Baroque masterpieces, all free to download.
The Immaculate Conception (1680) by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo - Public Domain Catholic Painting
The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception maintains that the Virgin Mary was conceived free from sin, therefore ready to be the pure vessel for Christ’s birth. The Immaculate Conception enjoyed intense devotion in Spain during the 1600s, although it was only accepted as official doctrine in 1854. Th
Presentation Sketch for "The Holy Family with Saints Anne, Joachim, and John the Baptist" (for Santa Maria in Via Lata, Roma) (1729) by Francesco Trevisani - Public Domain Catholic Painting
During the early 1700s, Roman artists returned to fundamental Christian subjects, especially those focused on the Christ child. This work presents the Holy Family with Christ’s maternal grandparents and baby cousin, John the Baptist, stressing the importance of family relationships. Saints Anne and
Panel from a Triptych: St. Anthony Abbot (1458) by Fra Filippo Lippi - Public Domain Catholic Painting
These panels depicting Saints Anthony the Abbot and Michael originally flanked a central scene of the Madonna and Child with Angels, now lost, to form a triptych. Giovanni di Cosimo de’Medici of Florence commissioned the ensemble in 1457 as a gift to Alfonso V of Aragon. Fra Filippo Lippi, a Carmeli
Virgin and Child in a Landscape (1531) by Jan Gossaert - Public Domain Catholic Painting
Among the first northern European artists to study in Rome, Gossaert returned north to serve in various German and Flemish courts, incorporating Italian Renaissance ideas. Gossaert also painted the frame, including the Latin inscription: "Mother, may your contemplation be our reconciliation." The pa
The Risen Christ Appearing to the Virgin (1708) by Francesco Solimena - Public Domain Catholic Painting
The dramatic contrasts of light and dark reveal the long aftereffects of Caravaggio in Naples. Yet, the elegant forms, rich colors, and perfected body of Christ have far more affinities with the idealizing strand of Italian art in the 1600s and 1700s. Solimena sought to improve on nature, based on t
Procession of the Magi (1450-1500) by Bernardo Parentino - Public Domain Catholic Painting
This work was not originally hung on a wall or displayed as part of an altarpiece. It is believed to have formed a panel on a cassone, a storage chest for clothing. This panel may have been part of a travel chest, which was usually less lavish than those meant to be used in the home. The subject, th
Madonna and Child in a Niche (1520-1529) by Antonio del Ceraiolo - Public Domain Catholic Painting
This image of Madonna with the Christ Child on her lap has been extensively altered by restoration. During the Renaissance, it was important that the Christ Child's genitalia be exposed, for it declared that Christ is the humanization of God, that he experienced temptation, and that in his exposure,
Death of the Virgin (16th century) - Public Domain Catholic Painting
This panel reveals a long history of changes. The initial work was painted on a single slab of wood, with strips left unpainted along the top and bottom. At an unknown time, the panel was probably cut down on the right and left sides, and the two blank strips at the top and bottom were filled in to
Saint Catherine (1520) by Master of the Holy Blood - Public Domain Catholic Painting
Saint Catherine holds the sword with which she was martyred. This painting and another in the collection (1942.633.2) were originally the wings of an altarpiece flanking a central panel, now lost, that may have depicted the Holy Family. The identity of this artist is unknown, but he is named for a p
The Crucifixion with a Carthusian Monk (1460) by Rogier van der Weyden - Public Domain Catholic Painting
This painting shows a Carthusian monk kneeling in devotion and prayer before the Crucifixion. It is likely that this panel was intended for the cell of a monk in an unknown monastery. The Carthusians were particularly devoted to the Passion and Crucifixion of Christ, and devotional images were provi
Saint John the Baptist in a Landscape (1445) by Petrus Christus - Public Domain Catholic Painting
The overall style of this painting suggests that it was painted by an artist closely associated with the Netherlandish painter Jan van Eyck. The facial structure of the saint as well as the artist's treatment of his cloak are typical of van Eyck's follower, Petrus Christus. Christus was active in th
Virgin and Child Enthroned (1419) by Battista di Biagio Sanguigni - Public Domain Catholic Painting
Rather than depicting a single moment in time, this gold-ground painting symbolically encapsulates Christ. Seated on a rich throne, the monumental Virgin holds the Christ child. Above, the risen Christ is seen in heaven holding a book, inscribed with the alpha and omega, the first and last letters o
The Annunciation (1480) by Albert Bouts - Public Domain Catholic Painting
The scene of the Annunciation to Mary that she will give birth to Christ is depicted here as a contemporary scene that may have been familiar to any viewer at the end of the 1400s. Mary is portrayed as an ordinary but wealthy woman who is interrupted by the Archangel Gabriel as she reads a book of h
Rest on the Flight into Egypt (1640) by Charles Poërson - Public Domain Catholic Painting
Formerly ascribed to the French painter Simon Vouet (1590-1649), Rest on the Flight into Egypt has only recently been attributed to Poërson, a collaborator and follower of Vouet. Intended to be a small devotional picture, this painting on oak panel depicts a quiet scene of the Holy Family resting; t
Portrait of a Woman as Saint Catherine (1560) by Pier Francesco Foschi - Public Domain Catholic Painting
Saint Catherine of Alexandria, a Christian, was martyred for refusing to make sacrifices to idols as decreed by the pagan Roman emperor Maxentius. While Maxentius first attempted to slay Catherine with spiked wheels, the machine broke when she prayed for salvation, and the emperor subsequently behea
Saints Bartholomew and Simon (1272) by Master of Saint Francis - Public Domain Catholic Painting
The earliest Italian painting in the Lehman Collection, this panel formed part of one of the greatest Italian altarpieces of the third quarter of the thirteenth century. The double-sided altarpiece was probably commissioned for the main altar of the church of San Francesco al Prato in Perugia. This
The Nativity with Donors and Saints Jerome and Leonard (1510-1515) by Gerard David - Public Domain Catholic Painting
David depicts the birth of Christ as a scene running continuously across three panels. However, the kneeling donors, introduced by the standing Saints Jerome and Leonard, are kept distinct from the central sacred event. A later owner converted the original couple's donor portraits into Saints Anthon